Dying Sun
by KassandraScarlett
Summary: Bella and Edward are recovering from the events of Northern Lights. But a miscalculation leaves both of them hurt, only in different ways. How does Edward live through the pain of being abandoned by Bella? And how does Bella survive the pain of lying to her mate? (Sequel to Northern Lights)
1. Prologue- The Beginning Of The End

**All right, this is the sequel to Northern Twilights. As usual, alternating POV's between our two favorite characters. I really hope I've been able to write this as well as I think I have.**

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Prologue:

I watched my favorite sister tease the patriarch of our coven, the father of the family, as she won the game of chess yet again. It always infuriated the rest of us, because her extra ability gave her an edge against the rest of us, even the psychic. But she was also genuinely good at it.

A human scent reached me and my nostrils flared at the honey flavor. _'No,'_ I thought to myself. _'He is your_ brother _. He is your sister's_ mate _. You_ can't _hurt him. You can't!'_

The human crossed over to where my sister sat and kissed her lips. I could see how she had to restrain herself, for fear she may harm him in her enthusiasm. If only she were willing to change him. Everything would be so much more easier.

I didn't need to be an empath to see the connection the vampire and the human shared. A blind man could sense that. But it was also easy to see my sister's fear that her human mate would soon die. And we all dreaded that day.

Perhaps, a time will come when my sister will change her view and allow our father to change him. But till then, I fiercely vowed to myself, that I wouldn't allow any harm to come to him. Because that would result in my sister's demise. _'No harm.'_

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Ch. 1- The Beginning Of The End- BPOV

Alice bounced on her toes as we waited for Edward to arrive. I was already feeling impatient and her constant fidgeting put me more on edge. "Alice," I began, but she interrupted. "Yes, I know, but I can't stop. This is how I naturally am." Then she lithely danced out of my reach, before I could move to muss her hair.

Our argument was disrupted by the now-familiar sound of the silver Volvo and the scent of honey that always accompanied it, and I braced myself for the burn that I always felt. Edward parked his car next to my precious Audi and jumped out, immediately smiling at me and my sister. "Good morning, love," I greeted, a smile spreading on my face. It was an automatic reaction. I couldn't help it. "Morning," he replied, giving me a quick kiss.

Alice started speaking as only she could. "So, Emmett and Rosalie are coming back from their honeymoon this evening, so…" "So soon?" Edward asked, smirking. Alice rolled her eyes and I answered for her. "Rose missed the family." "Anyways," Alice interrupted again. "We're having a welcome party, as always. You're invited. No arguments. You can drive over with Bella at six in the evening. Bells, I'll take your car and don't freak, I won't crash it. Now, till lunch, see ya!" And skipped off to her class.

Edward stared after her, then turned to me. "Will I ever get used to her?" I laughed. "No, I don't think so," I answered, shaking my head. "At least, I haven't; and I've had nearly half-a-century to do so."

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The drive was mostly quiet, our hands entwined, while I drove with two fingers of my left hand, as I always did. Until Edward broke the silence.

"Have you thought about what I asked you at prom?" His voice was quiet. I tensed slightly, needing to remind myself not to squeeze to hard and break Edward's fingers. "Yes, I've thought about it, but I don't need to. My answer hasn't changed." Edward turned to me, his green eyes bright with anger and annoyance. I realized with a pang, that both emotions were directed towards me.

"Why?" He asked, frustrated. "it's my choice. I'm dying anyways, Bella. There's no way around that." I cringed, but if he noticed, he ignored it. "Since you love me as much as you say you do, what the hell are going to do when I die? Because I sure as hell wouldn't be able to live without you."

"I'd find a way to follow you," I mumbled, but my eyes were resolute and he didn't question me. "Why would you do that?" He asked, his voice miserable. I shook my head, a bitter smile on my lips. "Because, I can't live in a world where you don't exist. And if your life is under risk because of me, then I won't hesitate to leave, because life away from you, knowing you are alive and safe, is better than keeping you by my side and eventually killing you. And that's exactly what will happen if I let you be changed. You'll die. You will lose your soul." As I talked, my eyes were drawn to the pearly white, crescent-shaped scar on his right wrist. The mark of James' teeth.

The end of my tirade was met by silence, as I reached the drive-way of the house. "Now, please, let's not talk about this," I begged Edward. "This is a party and Alice would really like everyone to be in a good mood, alright?" Edward glared at me briefly, before sighing. "Alright," he relented and got out, coming over to open my door. "Just one more question?" He started, fingering the camera he had brought on Alice's request. I looked at him warily and he went on. "If I take pictures of you and get them developed, would you show up in the film?" I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing and I could hear my family doing the same inside, their amused thoughts reaching me. Chuckling at Edward's successful attempt at lightening the mood, I took his hand and led him inside.

"Hey, Em, Rosa," Edward greeted my siblings. Both smiled at him, while Rose swept in and quickly pecked his cheeks. I noted with some concern that her eyes were the color of burnt sienna instead of light amber, but decided she was well in control. "Still look the same as ever, bro," Emmett boomed. HIs thought, however, were directed towards me. _'You know, Bella Bear, I was kinda hoping you would have changed your mind by the time Rosie and I came back. But, no, he's still human.'_ I growled to show him my displeasure and he chuckled. "Relax," he muttered. The whole conversation had been too fast and too quiet for Edward to catch and the rest of the family had no idea what we were talking about.

The rest of the evening went well, till the point where everything was ruined. Till today, I ask myself how everything would have gone differently, if what happened next could somehow have been prevented.

Alice was taking photos on Edward's camera, when she found a file lying on the sofa. She picked it up, weighed it in her hand for a brief second, then handed it to Edward. "Here," she said. "It's a file of Jasper's history work. You can use it, if you want. Mr. Burns won't notice the similarity." Edward took it from her, moving to place it on the table. As he did, the edge of the paper sliced the tip of his index finger and a single drop of blood bloomed there.

Seven pairs of eyes focused on the red liquid, as Edward, oblivious to everyone's sudden scrutiny, muttered, "Shoot, paper cut," and lightly placed the finger inside his mouth to wipe it clean. For a split second, my mind's eye saw him as a prey, before reminding myself of who he was.

Everything happened next too fast for a human to understand. Alice and I moved to restrain Jasper, our arms quickly locking around his stiff figure. A part of my mind wondered why Emmett and Rosalie weren't helping when I realized Jasper was in complete control. Then, I heard the thoughts. _'Blood, I want blood. Oh so sweet. I want it!'_

I whipped around in time to see Rosalie lunging at my mate, her eyes black, burning with a fierce primal need, all semblance of humanity lost. Emmett was there before anyone could react, pushing Edward away from her reach. Jasper broke free of our grasp and dashed to Rosalie, grabbing her around the waist, trying to restrain her thrashing form. I tried to process what happened, when I realized the scent of Edward's blood was suddenly more concentrated.

Appearing at his side, I saw that Emmett had miscalculated and had pushed him too hard. His shove had thrown Edward right onto a pile of glass plates, placed by Esme for cleaning. The glass had cut into his arm, creating a long trail of blood from the crook of his elbow.

Carlisle suddenly appeared next to me. While the rest of us, except Rosalie, were holding our breaths, he was completely calm and unaffected. "Let me take him to my office, Bella. He might need stitches." Stiffly, I moved aside, letting Carlisle carry Edward upstairs. Jasper and Emmett together dragged the still fighting Rosalie away into the forest, while Esme began wiping the blood off the floor. Alice, who had been standing frozen in shock, moved to go help Carlisle. I began following, when I heard Edward say, "Bella, I know you're there and you're on your way here and you're listening. Please, go to the forest and check on Rosa. Don't torture yourself by coming in here; Carlisle can handle this."

Alice looked at me, pity and regret burning in her eyes. _'He's right. Carlisle can do this. If I can't handle it, I'll come out too. But Edward doesn't need you to hurt yourself by constantly smelling the blood.'_ Carlisle's thoughts were the same, so I gave in. With a longing glance upstairs, I sped off into the forest to find my sister and forgive her, while planning what I knew now was inevitable.

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 **There's the prologue and the first chapter. Let's see how many of you can guess which POV the prologue is. Tell me in your reviews, please.**


	2. The Last Kiss

**I'm sure most of you are glad that Jasper isn't the one who attacks Edward this time. I love him too much to make him the villain again. Rosalie seemed the only possible substitute. And for those of you who were expecting something different, I'm sorry, but yes, the Cullens are going to leave in this story as well. I was just as annoyed as you were when Edward did this in New Moon, but you have to admit, it's crucial to the storyline, so Bella can meet Jacob. That's why.**

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Ch. 2- The Last Kiss- EPOV

"Well, I sure know how to ruin a party," I sighed, after Alice gave up and left the room with an apologetic smile. Carlisle, while sticking my arm, his fingers working swiftly and precisely, smiled and shook his head. "Don't blame yourself, Edward. It's not your fault," he assured me. _'Maybe not,'_ I wanted to tell him. _'But it's not Bella's either. And if I know her, she'll find a way to blame herself.'_

"Does Bella regret you saving her?" I asked. Carlisle's fingers paused for a short second, before he resumed his work. "I've never been able to ask her," he replied sadly. "But, I know how she feels about this life. She believes, as I do, that there is a heaven and hell, there is God. But, unlike me, she refuses to see that there is place for us in the world. She thinks we lose our souls after the change. But Bella herself is living proof that she is wrong. I look at her and think, how can there not be paradise for one such as her?"

I mulled over his words. "Bella told me you found her in the hospital when she was dying. But why did you choose to change _her_?" Carlisle smiled again, this time sadly. "Charlie and Renée Swan were good friends of mine, the few humans I felt happy with, though I knew it would cause me great pain when I left them. Renée died in the first wave of the Spanish Influenza. After a few months, Charlie and his teenage daughter, Isabella Marie Swan, were on their deathbeds and I was the doctor put in charge of them."

"Bella's condition was a lot worse than Charlie's. I was quite confident that, with proper rest and medicine, Charlie would pull through. But he was as stubborn as his daughter; he refused to stop nursing her, trying to keep her alive, though it meant dying himself."

"One evening, when I went to perform a routine checkup on the Swans, I found Charlie's condition had drastically deteriorated. Bella was no better." He paused, wiping my arm clean of blood. "He grabbed my hand, didn't flinch once at my cold skin, and said, _'You have to save my daughter. No matter what happens, you must do whatever is in_ your _power to save her. What others cannot do, you must do to save my Bella.'_ "

"I promised him, all the while wondering if he had somehow figured out what I was. A few hours after that, he died and I was left with a choice. I'd been acquainted with Bella for a year and a half. Though I'd never actually gotten to know her, I knew enough to see her as the daughter I'd always envisioned for myself. Bella's eyes were closed and she was pale and weak, but even so, she was very beautiful."

"What color were her eyes?" I interrupted. "Brown," Carlisle answered. "A deep chocolate brown, the same as her father. They were the most gorgeous eyes I'd ever seen. I knew I couldn't break a promise to a dying man. And I was so lonely, that after only a brief moment of hesitation, I took her away to change her."

"So…" I began to ask him, if maybe he would be willing to change me, when I heard my name called softly. I turned to see Bella standing at the door, a stone mask set on her face.

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"Are you angry with me?" I questioned with a sigh, watching Bella's impassive face. "Should I be?" She shot back. "I'm sorry," I began rambling. "I shouldn't have been so careless. That was really stupid of me…" "You're sorry?" Bella cut in sharply. "Edward, you got a paper cut. That does not warrant you a death penalty. It could have happened anywhere, even at a human girlfriend's house. Only there, you probably would not have had your whole arm cut up too. And even if, by some miracle you did, the worst that would have happened is that you would have gotten some blood on the seats." She was nearly shouting at the end of her speech. "Wait, how did the phrase _'human girlfriend'_ enter this conversation?" I asked icily. "Because, that would be a hell lot more healthier for you," she screamed. "I don't want that. I don't want anyone but you."

She was breathing as heavily as I was, as she stopped the car in front of my house. "Elizabeth and Phil are asleep," she said shortly. I glared at her before getting out of the car, but as soon as I breathed in the night air, I felt incomplete. Walking around to open the door for her, I asked, "Will you come up?" I asked in a low voice. She didn't answer at first and, as she turned to face me, I almost felt afraid that she would say _'no'_. But instead, she nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief as I headed in.

Inside my room, I found Bella sitting on the edge of the bed. I could hear the piano strains of my lullaby playing and realized she was playing the CD she had gifted me on my birthday. I examined her face. She was morose. That needed to be fixed. Going over to her, I stood her up, then sat her on my lap. She wrapped her fragile-looking arms around me and I saw a faint smile appear on her lips.

"I am sorry for getting mad at you," she mumbled into my shirt. I gave her a squeeze. "I'm sorry too," I whispered back. She sighed and pulled back, staring into my eyes for some time. For a brief second, I tried to imagine her human: her skin less pale, warm, her body fragile and her eyes a warm chocolate. But then I decided I didn't want Bella to change, no matter the circumstances.

"You should go to sleep," Bella said. "Kiss me goodnight?" I asked, knowing her answer already. True to form, a small smirk made it's appearance and she leaned forward to press her lips to mine. At first, the kiss was gentle, slow and loving. But then, something changed. Bella's lips became more demanding, more frantic. Something about the kiss disturbed me, but her hypnotic scent was making it difficult to think.

Abruptly, she pulled back with a gasp. "I'm sorry, that was very much out of line," she said. I rolled my eyes, trying to catch my breath. "Only you think so, Bella," I muttered. She smiled again, only there was something slightly crazed about it. But, the soothing music still playing was making me sleepy. That was why I didn't argue when Bella gently pushed me back on to the pillows, her hands stroking my face and hair. "I love you, Bella," I managed to get out. "I love you too," I heard her say. Before I lost lucidity, I remembered what the kiss had reminded me of: It was the same way she had kissed me, before she had left to hunt James; when we hadn't know when, or even _if_ , we would ever be able to see each again.

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Something was wrong. First, Bella hadn't been in my room this morning like she was whenever I woke up. Then, when I saw her at school, she hadn't really smiled at me and turned her head subtly when I was about to kiss her like any other day. Third, Alice hadn't turned up today. When I asked Bella where she had gone, all she'd said was that she had gone on a short trip with Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie and there was no saying when she would be back. The fourth problem was Bella herself; she seemed distant, like she had too many things on her mind. There was absolutely no emotion on her face when she talked to me, none of the love and happiness I'd grown used to.

Even now, as I walked her to her car, she wasn't saying anything and kept her hands in her pockets instead of in mine. "You're coming over this evening, right?" I don't know why I'd felt the need to ask, when I never did. But her answer shocked me, rooting me to the spot. "Not tonight," she replied softly and left, softly kissing me on the cheeks.

That night, as I went over the photos I'd gotten developed after school, I marveled at the perfection of the Cullens. They seemed like a pristine family portrait, fantastic and unreal. I looked sadly out of place. I started placing the photos in the album Phil had gifted me. I stopped at a picture that Alice had taken at yesterday's party. Bella was by my side, her head thrown back in laughter at something Emmett said, while I looked down at her lovingly, my arm placed possessively at her waist. She looked so happy, but that girl had disappeared overnight, leaving someone I barely recognized in her place. This new Bella was similar to the one who had ignored me in the month after the accident with Tyler's van and the young girl, Grace. What had happened to _my_ Bella?

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 **Comments, suggestions, complaints; everything is welcome.**


	3. Distance

**Sorry for the late update, but this story is a bit more difficult than the last one. Meanwhile, I'm writing another fic for X-Men: The Movie. I write that daily, so please check that one out as well. It's called 'I Can Read Your Mind'.**

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Ch. 3- Distance- BPOV

I hated this. I hated staying away. I hated ignoring him. Every inch of me had wanted to scale the walls and enter his bedroom last night. To stay wrapped up in his arms the whole night, crooning his lullaby until he fell asleep. Edward had left the window open, probably in the vain hope that I would be there. That, and the fact he had been murmuring my name repeatedly in his sleep, made me _ache_ to comfort him. But, instead, I had kept a firm handle on myself and contented myself by sitting down among the trees, out of sight, listening to his heart beat, his breath, and his pleading cries for me.

No one in the family agreed with my decision, but they complied silently. At least, Carlisle and Esme did. My siblings, on the other hand, were very vocal of their blatant disapproval of my plan, especially Alice. She showed me her visions of me screaming in a forest, of Edward staring at something with blank eyes, both our appearances haggard and weak. She hoped showing me both our pain would convince me to change my mind, but it was already too set. Yes, I would be breaking Edward's heart but, in the long run, he would be happier without me. He would be free to spend his life with someone who could grow old with him, as an equal, instead of staying with me, pining for a life I couldn't give him.

The first step was to distance myself from him. Maybe if he expected it, it would not hurt him so much when I broke the last thread. So I ignored him, tried to remain indifferent and not let him see the pain I felt. It did not matter how much I was tortured, as long as he was safe. And that was all that mattered. I needed to finish this quickly. I would do it today, in just a few hours. I had already removed the photos he'd taken of me and my family, hiding them underneath a loose floorboard in his room and keeping one with me as a memoir, though I didn't need one. I had prolonged it for two days. Enough was enough.

"I need to come over later in the evening, today. Will that be alright?" I asked, suddenly. Edward looked over at me as we walked to my car, surprised by my out-of-the-blue words. "Of course," he stammered. He hesitated a bit, before continuing. "Is Rosalie alright?" He asked. I nodded, struggling to maintain my stone façade.

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I parked the car, in front of Edward's house, but stayed inside. Thank the Gods, his mother and uncle weren't home. I knew Edward was inside and was watching me from the window. I found myself wishing I could read his thoughts, just this once. With a deep breath, I exited and went to knock on the door. Edward opened it almost immediately and ushered me in with a tentative smile, a smile I couldn't return. I sat on the armchair opposite him on the sofa.

"We're leaving, Edward," I started. His brow furrowed. "Where are we going?" He asked. I pursed my lips. This was going to be harder than I thought. I stared at him intently, keeping all emotions off my face. All of an instant, the truth seemed to hit him. His eyes widened, his lips parted and his heart stuttered, before breaking out in a hammering sprint.

'You're leaving?" He whispered. I nodded. "Without me?" He went on. When I nodded a second time, something like resignation and realization flashed in his eyes. "Why?" He asked. "Because, the I don't want to be with you anymore," I answered coldly, ignoring the knife in my chest.

"You… don't… want me," he repeated. I didn't say anything, and in that instant, all light left his eyes and his shoulders slumped forward minutely. "But I thought you… you loved me," he said, his voice broken. I wanted badly to take everything back and beg his forgiveness, but, for the first time since I met him, I let myself feel the torturous burn in my throat, letting the thirst remind me of the reason I needed to leave.

"I did love you," I agreed. "And I always will… in a way. But, you're human. And I'm immortal. I'll live forever and I don't want to spend the rest of eternity with someone who will die. And I refuse to change you, Edward," I finished. "That's against everything I ever knew and you can not convince me to change my mind."

He was shaking and I hated myself. But something was wrong. Why wasn't he arguing with me? Why wasn't he calling me out on my lies? "You don't love me," he said slowly, as if testing out the words on his tongue. And then, it hit me. Edward had always believed me, trusted my words, if not my opinion. When I told him he was the centre of my universe, he believed it, though he said it sounded unreal to him. So now, when I told him that he no longer meant anything to me, he still believed me.

With that truth, the pieces of my already broken stone heart crumbled into dust. Slowly, I stood up and headed towards the door. Edward got up with me, following me robotically. I opened the door and stopped to look up at him. "Just promise me something," I said. He blinked and nodded. "Don't do anything rash or dangerous, for Elizabeth and Phil. Especially, Lizzie. She doesn't need to lose you." Mutely, he nodded. "And, I'll promise you something in return," I continued. "This will be the last time you ever hear from me, or any of us. We won't bother you again. It will be like I never existed."

"Wait," he suddenly choked out, his arms moving up to hold me. But I couldn't let him. If he did, I wouldn't be able to leave. So, I grabbed his hands and pressed them back to his sides, before standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. "Take care of yourself, Edward," I whispered against his skin, as he closed his eyes. Then, I ran to my car as fast as I could and started driving to Seattle, trying not to hear Edward's sobs. He didn't know it, but I'd left my heart with him.

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 **Read and Review, pleeeeeease! (And, yes, I meant to type in that many E's.)**


	4. Gone

**Sorry for the late update.**

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Ch. 4- Gone- EPOV

"You don't love me," I repeated her words. They didn't sound exactly real, like there was something missing. But, why would I doubt the words? This was _Bella_. She would never lie to me, except to maybe save my life. There was no reason for her to be lying right now. And besides, hadn't I always known this would happen? Hadn't I always been afraid, if only in the back of my mind, that this would happen someday? That she would soon grow bored of me and leave? I had always been waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. Why was I so shocked now? Yet, I couldn't bring myself to move, until I got up to follow Bella to the door.

In the doorway, she stopped to look up at me. Her eyes were light topaz, but they were hard, cold as ice, like frozen gold in the darkness. "Just promise me something?" She asked. I nodded. Whatever she wanted, I couldn't refuse her. She already had my heart, broken though it was; might as well give her everything else as well. "Don't do anything rash or dangerous, for Elizabeth and Phil. Especially, Lizzie. She doesn't need to lose you." Her eyes melted and I thought I saw a flash of pain or regret in them. _'What about you?'_ I wanted to cry out. _'Don't you care about me at all anymore? Would it make any difference to you if something happened to me?'_ But I kept quiet and simply nodded. Her eyes froze over again and I realized that it _wouldn't_ make any difference to her.

And I'll promise you something in return," she went on. "This will be the last time you ever hear from me, or any of us. We won't bother you again. It will be like I never existed." Her words sent a chill through me. Bella turned to leave and I suddenly couldn't take it. She couldn't leave yet. "Wait," I exclaimed, trying to reach out to her. _'Just a few more minutes, please,'_ I wanted to beg her. But she saw me move and, with her vampire reflexes, grabbed my wrists, gently pushing them back.

Then, she surprised me by leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss on my cheek. "Take care of yourself, Edward," she whispered and I closed my eyes at the sound of my name in her melodious voice, her cold lips and breath still managing to send shivers through my body. But, in a flash, I realized, she was gone. I opened my eyes just in time to see the blue Audi drive away.

Shaking, I closed the door and leaned against it, sliding down to the floor. Uncontrollable sobs racked my body as tears streamed down my face. I couldn't remember the last time I'd cried like this, but what else is there to do when your heart's been ripped out?

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"Edward, sweetie, what's wrong?!" I heard my mother cry out. But her voice came to me through a filter as she ran over to the sofa, where I'd somehow dragged myself to. Several voices reached me, someone shook me, but I couldn't really concentrate on anything. All I could say was, "She's gone," and that was my answer to any questions that I heard.

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One month had gone by. Everyone told me to get over myself, that it was silly to pine for someone I'd only known for one semester, that I would eventually find someone better than _her_. But, I knew I wouldn't. The hole in my chest seemed to grow with every passing day. The slightest mention of _her_ , or her family members, or even of her favorite books left me reeling.

Mom understood. She must have known that what _she_ and I had shared hadn't been a high school fling. She and Phil took care not to mention _her_ name. What made it worse was that _she_ had tried to keep her promise by stealing all the photos I'd taken of _her_. Even the CD that held my lullaby and all the other songs _she'd_ composed was gone.

But, even the all-knowing vampire couldn't do something so impossible as remove all traces of her presence. The grooves that I'd discovered she had made beneath the edge of the table in Biology class on my first day at school, were still there. I knew where their house was and at times, I had to fight the urge to drive over and see if anything had changed.

"Edward," someone called tentatively. I started and looked up to see the class had been dismissed and Jessica was looking down at me with a worried expression. "Um, some of us are going out to PA tonight, to watch that new movie. Will you come?" I was grateful for Jessica and Angela. While the latter had always been nice, the former had given up all attempts to get me to notice her when I'd turned her down the last time. Even now, she didn't flirt with me once, though she had broken up with Mike some time back.

So, I smiled at her, or I tried to, and nodded tightly.

If someone asked me that night what the movie had been about, I wouldn't have been able to tell them anything. As soon as we exited the theatre, I couldn't wait to get in my car and get the hell out of here. The romantic film had been overly sappy and melodramatic, but it hurt, because so many of the phrases, cliché though they were, struck the right chords with me. I don't know why I had come t watch. it only served to depress me further, impossible though it seemed.

 ** _'_** ** _Stop it,'_** a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I spun around wildly in my seat, in the midst of putting on my seatbelt. Had I imagined the voice? It was so clear, the perfect texture of satin, sweet and musical. **_'Please, stop torturing yourself,'_** the voice said.

 _'_ _This is it,'_ I decided. _'I'm hallucinating. I am officially crazy.'_

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	5. Retribution

**This chapter has a surprise at the end. I don't think anyone could have expected it. Let's see.**

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Ch. 5- Retribution- BPOV

I was running. The trees were brushing past as I moved through the forest like a ghost. Still, I couldn't run fast enough to escape the low, velvety voice crying out my name. Or the tortured face with the dead green eyes staring back at me in despair. I stopped at the edge of the woods, where I could hear the thoughts of my family members and my cousins, but they wouldn't be able to hear me.

All of them were worried about me. Even the Denalis, who had never fully known about me and Edward, were concerned about my state of health and mind. "Oh, shit," I cursed, something which I rarely do. Terrance was heading this way, hoping to catch up to me. I considered turning and running back into the forest. But, he would be able to catch my scent and know I'd been here too recently.

The decision was made for me, when Terrance walked calmly into my view. He was the only one who wasn't too worried about me, because he couldn't believe that I'd found my mate in a _human_. "There you are," he called out when he saw me. _'Everyone's pretty worried about you here back there.'_ I shrugged, not really in the mood to deal with his constant flirting and attempts at seduction. But, with Terrance, that came with the territory.

Right now, he came and stood in front of me, his hands on his hips, looking self-assured and confident. For some reason, he didn't seem to understand why I refused him again and again. _'So, still pining for your human?'_ I growled and he chuckled. _'Edward, isn't it?'_ I winced and nodded quickly to cover it up, but Terrance's eyes filled with worry and regret. _'He's really your mate, then? It's not just infatuation?'_ I shook my head, my body starting to tremble, as I fought back a tearless sob. It was one of those times, when I wished I was human and could truly shed tears.

Terrance sighed. _'Guess I've lost all chances, then,'_ he joked. I allowed a small smile on my face. _'And, I know what you're going to say; that I never had a chance in the first place.'_ I shook my head, exasperated with his constant ego. But, just as quickly as it had come, the amusement I felt disappeared.

Terrance must have caught the change in my expression, because he cocked his head to the side, his platinum blond hair glinting in the moonlight. _'What are you thinking, Bella?'_ I pondered what to tell him. Alice must have already seen what I had decided. I reached out with my mind, allowing the voices I had let fade back, to come front again.

 _'_ _Why hasn't she come back yet? Come on, already, Isa.'_

 _'_ _This isn't right; she's just punishing herself for something she can't help. And it's my fault anyway, not her's.'_

 _'_ _Bella, where are you? I know you're hurting, but so are we, for both of you. Come back, you don't need to leave. I've seen what your leaving will do to us, especially Esme.'_

I sighed. Yes. Alice had already seen my departure. Terrance was still waiting for my answer. "We should get back," I said with another sigh. "I'll tell everyone at the same time." He nodded and followed me into the house, while I tried desperately to control my near-constant shaking and inattentiveness.

I started to speak as soon as I opened the door, everyone's eyes moving to rest on me. "I'm…" "NO!" Alice screamed at me, coming to stand in front of me. She gripped my forearms, her golden eyes wide with anger and fear and grief. "You can't leave, Bella, you can't." Everyone's faces and thoughts took a hundred-and-eighty degrees turn; ranging from shock to resignation.

"I have to," I whispered brokenly and my eyes found Esme's. She looked like she would start crying any second; like one small push and she would break apart. In that instant, I felt more like a monster than I ever had. Any one who hurt a gentle, loving person like Esme, someone who'd treated me like her own child, her own flesh and blood, deserved to be dead.

I broke myself out of Alice's grasp and went to kneel in front of her. Her hands immediately came up to brush my loose hair away from my face. "I… I'm… sorry. I'm sorry, mom," I choked out. Esme shut her eyes and gently kissed my forehead. "Come back soon," she whispered.

* * *

One month had gone by, since I'd left my family. Two months since I'd abandoned Edward. One month I'd been wandering around alone. I was in a state of despair. To make matters worse, Alice had called me up yesterday to tell me that she had seen Victoria near Forks. That had sent me into a panic.

But then I realized, this was my chance to redeem myself for causing such havoc in Edward's life. So now, it was my mission, my responsibility to find Victoria and finish her off.

The scent of a human reached me, nearly knocking me over in its intensity. I hadn't hunted in six weeks, not able to find the will to do so. This was going to make it harder to resist and even harder to fight Victoria. No, I had to do something; I had to be strong.

A thought entered my head. An idea. _'Edward wouldn't like it. He always believed you to be good,'_ I tried to tell myself. Then, a bitter laugh fell from my lips. I was already unworthy of even breathing the same air as Edward; there was nothing I could do to make that worse. I might as well completely damn myself to hell. _'But, your family. Think how disappointed Carlisle and Esme would be.'_ But I didn't deserve them either. So what's to stop me?

Ten minutes later, I found myself flirting with a man in the nearby club, a man who had every intention of taking me to his bed that night, as he had done to countless women before, leaving them to be dead. He deserved what I was going to do to him. I let him lead me into his bedroom and his scent gave away his excitement. The burn in my throat intensified, though the scent itself was nothing like the honey flavor I missed so much. _Stop it. Don't think about that,'_ I told myself firmly. The young man bent down to kiss me roughly. Again, I let him.

But, the instant he pulled back from me to catch his breath, I latched my teeth to his neck, right over his pulse and bit. Warm blood rushed into my mouth, filling me with a sense of pleasure I hadn't known was possible. If I had allowed myself to compare, I would have found the taste was dirt compared to the brief seconds I'd tasted _his_ blood. But this would do for now. My moans of pleasure mingled with the dying man's gasps, but I felt no remorse. _'He deserves this,'_ I told myself and I let myself taste human blood for the first time since I'd been born in this life.

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 **Shocked? I had this brainwave while typing. Please tell me how you found it. Review or PM me, please.**


	6. Motorcycles

**Sorry for the late update. I couldn't find any motivation to type.**

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Ch. 6- Motorcycles- EPOV

I folded my hands behind my head and stared at the ceiling. There was nothing to do. I couldn't concentrate on anything. My homework was finished. My chores were done. I didn't have any meetings or parties or get-togethers to go to. _'Damn it, why isn't there anything to do?'_ I furiously thought to myself. Any time, I was immobile and wasn't busy, my thoughts wandered. And then I found myself trying to think, why _they_ would have gone to all that trouble to make me feel like a part of their family. Especially, Carlisle and Alice. I'd started to see them as my father and sister.

And there was nothing to say about _her_. God, it hurt every time. Why? "Edward?" I heard my mom call tentatively. I sighed and got up to meet her downstairs. She had her hands on her hip and was staring at me with determination in her eyes. "Get dressed," she ordered firmly. I frowned. "Why?" I asked. As far as I knew, I hadn't been _acting_ crazy. I did everything as I was supposed to. Was she sending me to a psychiatrist or something?

"Because, I'm going over to meet the Blacks. Phil is at the station and you're not about to stay here alone. So, you're coming with me. It would do you good to get out. Rebecca and Jacob will be there to keep you company," she rattled it all off in one breath. I wanted badly to protest, but one look at her green eyes made me realize that she was doing this for me, trying to help me in some way. I sighed and went back upstairs to change.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Rebecca asked, her eyes shining in hope. I gaped at the two motorcycles in awe. The worried looks on Billy Black's face, in addition to my mother's had been too much for me to take, so I'd begged Rebecca in whispers to take me to the garage. She'd decided to show me the bikes she and her brother, Jacob, had been working on. "They're beautiful," I agreed. It had been a long time since I'd spoken properly about anything.

Becca ran a loving hand across one. "Jake said he'd teach me to ride, but he never got the chance," she pouted. I suddenly got an idea. "I can teach you," I said. "I know how to ride one, it's easy." Becca turned to me, her dark eyes sparkling like polished river stones. "Let's go now," she suggested. I agreed quickly.

In a few minutes, Rebecca was seated on one of the bikes, while I gave her a crash course on the gears. She was nearly as tall as me, so she had no effort with balancing the weight. "Don't let go of this until I tell you to," I instructed her strictly. "Think of it as the pin of a grenade, alright?" She nodded and I positioned her hands properly over both the handle.

 ** _'_** ** _Stop,'_** someone said. I froze; that voice. I couldn't have imagined it; it was much too perfect. I didn't have that degree of recall, though I liked to think that it was effortless to remember _her_. But, even so, this hallucination of her voice was more right than any of the memories which I so desperately tried not to think of. **_'This is madness. It is nowhere near safe. One of you is going to end up getting hurt.'_** She was worried, I realized. My hallucination was worried about me. The irony was laughable. "Edward?" Becca's voice reached me.

I started and realized I was still holding her hands. "Okay, ready?" I asked and let go, taking a step back. "Go," I yelled and she took off, handling the bike effortlessly. At least, she did for about five minutes, before somehow losing control and crashing into a tree. "Becca!" I screamed in panic. Quickly, mounting my own bike, I drove over to where she lay and jumped off, being down to help her sit up.

"Oh God," she moaned. "Hold still," I ordered, hurriedly removing my T-shirt to wipe the blood off. "You've got a pretty big gash on your forehead," I observed and she moaned again. "You're getting blood on your T-shirt," she protested weakly. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I noticed, Sherlock. But, I've got a few extra ones at home, plus a washing machine." She rolled her eyes, too, but let me wipe her head clean. But, all the time, I tried not to notice how her eyes stayed trained on me.

"You know," she started. "You're kind of beautiful, especially your eyes." I tried not to wince at her words, as another scene played out in my head.

 _"_ _Your eyes really are beautiful, Edward," Bella said, her head tilted to the side as she looked up at me. "Yeah, well, I think your eyes are beautiful," I answered with an impish smile and bent down to quickly kiss her smiling lips._

I shook the memory off and tried to smirk at Becca. "You think I'm beautiful, really? How hard did you hit your head exactly?" I asked playfully and she blushed.

* * *

"You look better today. Hanging out with Rebecca seems to have helped," Mom noted. Silently, I cursed my mother's sharp eyes and observation skills. "Yeah, it was good," I admitted and looked up to meet her gaze. There was something in her eyes that I couldn't quite identify; maybe disappointment, or sadness, or hope?

But that night, as I lay in bed, I realized mom was right. Being with Rebecca helped me to forget the pain. Sure, some odd phrases or random comments brought it back full force, but at least it wasn't constant. She seemed to able to patch up the hole _they_ had left behind.

And that night, for the first time in three months, I slept without nightmares.

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 **Read and Review, please.**


	7. Ruby And Topaz

**Late update, I know. Please accept my peace offerings: the next chapter. (wink and smile sheepishly)**

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Ch. 7- Ruby And Topaz- BPOV

 _I waited quietly, sitting on the rocking chair, for him to wake up. There were still three hours till he had to get up to go to school, but I couldn't make myself leave and then come back. Somehow, as if sensing my presence, he stirred, a low groan escaping him. He opened his eyes, then, abruptly, he sat up and stared in my direction. I surmised he could see my shadowy silhouette in the darkness. I watched as he scrambled to turn on the bedside lamp and sucked in a breath as I finally saw him properly._

 _His dark green eyes were wide with shock and denial, while I waited with bated breath. "Bella," he breathed out at last. "Hello, Edward," I answered in a whisper. Suddenly, the surprise on his face melted away to pure terror. "Your eyes. They're red. Who have you killed, Bella?" He choked out._

My eyes shot open and I realized I had been imagining impossible scenarios again. Then, my phone started ringing. I hesitated to answer it, because I did not want my family to know that I was drinking from humans, though Alice had probably already seen it and told them. Against my better (or worse) judgement, I answered the call.

"What is it?" I asked, by way of greeting. "You don't have to be so rude, you know," Alice's voice came, sounding miffed. I sighed. "I'm sorry, Ali. Hello. Was there a reason why you called?" I tried. "Yes, there is actually," Alice said, and by her tone, I could tell she was rolling her eyes. "I'm about fifteen miles from a café near you. Wait there for me. Please don't run. I want to talk to you. And don't worry, I'm alone." With that, she ended the call.

I was suddenly scared. I couldn't have Alice see my eyes red, no matter what she had seen. But, I couldn't run. For one, Alice would see where I would go. Second, I wanted badly to see her again. I hadn't talked to anyone in the family, so I had no clue as to how everyone was doing. Alice was the only hope I had, since I was too much of a coward to call my family and talk to them.

So, ten minutes later, I found myself waiting at the roadside café (how human), pretending to sip coffee, wearing a pair of sunglasses. I sensed Alice's familiar mind as soon as I reached and was now just waiting for her to arrive, which she soon did. _'You can take off those ridiculous glasses; I already know,'_ was the first thought she consciously directed to me as she sat down across from me. With a sigh, I took off the glares and looked straight at Alice.

She tried to control her physical reaction, but I heard her mental flinch as ruby eyes looked into topaz ones. _'I'm sorry, Bella, but I can't see that. I'd rather see you with gold eyes. And, on second thought, maybe we shouldn't risk a human seeing your eyes.'_ Her eyes glazed over for a second, then focussed on me, panicked, and I quickly put on my glasses again.

"Did you tell the others?" I asked her. Alice looked guilty all of a sudden. "I didn't mean to," she mumbled. "We were out hunting when I got the vision. Jaz felt my… concern and asked me what was wrong. You know, there isn't any point in lying to him, so I told him the truth. Then he accidentally projected his distress and worry. So, everyone arrived and asked and we told them." I bit my lip. I didn't blame Alice, but I had to ask. "Are they mad at me?" I asked in a small voice.

Alice looked horrified. "Of course not, Bella," she admonished. "They were just worried and really shocked that you would go to such an extent to just forget the pain. They understand, Bella, they really do. And we all know that you'll be back to normal, when you get back to Edward." I cringed at the sound of his name and shot a glare at her, causing her to roll her eyes.

"You will go back to him, I've seen it. And the vision's too strong for there to be a possibility that you will change it," she informed me. I decided it was time to change the topic and asked her what she was doing here exactly. Alice smiled then, but it seemed forced. "I was researching my past life," she confessed. "Based on what Ed… what _he_ told me."

She told me what she had found out. Apparently, Mary Alice Brandon had had visions of things about to happen. She'd tried to warn people of her mother's impending death, but no one had believed her, When her mother was killed in the exact way her child had described, everyone shunned her, treating her like a witch. Her father locked her up and remarried. Her step mother encouraged her isolation from everyone, including her little sister, Cynthia. Her father, in the end, sent Mary Alice to an asylum, in hopes of curing her with electroshocks. The massive jolts of electricity sent through were what resulted in her lack of memories after the change.

Alice broke down crying in tearless sobs that afternoon, as we visited a cemetery, where she pointed out her grave, and I held her in comfort as she grieved.

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 **I know it's kind of short, but it's one of my personal favorites.**


	8. Hallucinations

**This chapter is important, as it shows something that was never there in New Moon. Unlike SM's Bella, Edward in my stories has more supportive friends than just Rebecca, namely Angela and Ben. I had liked them very much in the original books and was disappointed that there wasn't much said about them. So, here we are.**

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Ch. 8- Hallucinations- EPOV

"So, where exactly did _they_ go anyway?" Becca asked. I was internally thankful that Rebecca was able to understand how much it hurt to hear their names spoken out loud, so she used third person pronouns in reference, though the topic hardly ever came up. "California," I answered. That was the answer everyone knew. _'As if,'_ I scoffed to myself. Vampires in sunny California? Right.

There was another long silence. Becca and I were resting in the garage after today's motorcycle-riding lesson. "So, tomorrow again?" She asked. I was about to nod, but frowned instead. "No, sorry. Angela and Ben are dragging me to a sorority party tomorrow evening. I'll come over the next day instead," I told her. "If you're not too hungover, you mean," she teased and I rolled my eyes. "I don't drink. Never have, never will," I said.

She smirked. "You've obviously never been to a teen sorority," she observed dryly and I couldn't help but chuckle. "Just you wait," she warned me, laughing as she did so. "Underage drinking might be illegal, but it sure doesn't stop high school teenagers. You'll end up drunk before the party is half-way over."

* * *

I wish I could say that I proved Rebecca wrong. To this day, I'm totally embarrassed at how quickly I gave in to the temptation to just forget everything. Almost as soon as I woke up the next day, I felt the pain come back and craved Rebecca's comforting presence. But I'd promised Ben that I would show up.

We had arranged for Angela to pick me up, seeing as I had no idea where we were going. So, it was that at six in the evening, Angela arrived at my door in a pink dress, her car waiting next to me. Mom and Phil hadn't come home yet, but they knew about my plans, so I quietly greeted Angela, complimenting her, and followed her to the car. The drive over was long, but not too bad, because Angela didn't feel the need to fill every silence with chatter. I would have preferred she didn't play music, but I didn't say anything.

Everything fell to pieces when we arrived at the party. The loud music, the couples dancing, the romantic songs; it was all grating on my nerves and I fought not to break down and hyperventilate. _God_ , my whole body _ached_ , inside and out, to see _her_ again, to feel _her_. Angela had met Ben at the door and was now dancing with him, while I watched from the drinks stand. I could feel the eyes of several girls on me, but I paid them no heed. I couldn't feign interest in any girl, not when I constantly felt a pair of golden eyes on me.

 _'_ _God, I'm pathetic,'_ I thought to myself. _She_ was probably enjoying herself, wherever she was, and here, I couldn't even bring myself to function properly. I knew she wouldn't start a sudden love affair with just anyone; she wasn't like that. But, she was free to do so if she wanted. I wasn't.

That was it. I needed to forget, if only for the night. With that thought, I called for a drink.

* * *

"Come on, up you go," a girl's voice said. I groaned. _'Don't speak so loud,'_ I wanted to say. "Are you sure you can take him, Angie?" A male voice. He seemed worried about something. "He can't even stand," the same voice said. Was he talking about me? "It's okay, Ben. I'll manage." _'Ah, it's Ben and Angela,'_ I realized. Someone gripped my arm and forced me to walk, leading me somewhere. I opened my eyes and saw the parking area.

Ten minutes later, I was in a car, with Angela driving, a frown on her face. Somewhere, I felt a stab of guilt for worrying my friends, but I couldn't concentrate on it. The car stopped and Angela got out to open the door on my side. Staggering, I accepted her offered hand and stood up, before walking over to the door. "Your mom had called," Angela spoke in a quiet voice. "Ben told her that you had gone to the washroom. She said she and your uncle were spending the night at the Blacks. They'll come back tomorrow in time for lunch."

I nodded, only listening to half her words. "Come on in. You can spend the night here in the guest room," I said somehow. She hesitated. "I should get home," she said. "My parents have gone to visit some relatives in Seattle; they'll be back by Monday. I don't want to leave the house empty for too long." I squinted at her, trying to glare. "Don't be stupid, Angela," I slurred. "It's too late for you to be out alone right now; especially in a dress. No offence," I added. She bit her lip and I sighed. "Come on, don't you trust me? You really think I'm going to do something to you?" Angela gave a very un-lady-like snort. "In your state, Edward, I don't think you could anything to anyone," she laughed.

I grinned at her and walked in, thankful that I wouldn't be alone tonight.

* * *

Some thing, or some one, was knocking (read: pounding) on my bedroom door. "Oh God, stop," I groaned into the pillow. The knocking paused and I heard a girl's voice call out, "Edward, are you awake?" I abruptly sat up in bed, trying to ignore the headache and squinted to see Angela standing in the doorway, with a hand over her eyes, wearing my mom's clothes. "Your mom came home early. She sent me to wake you up," she informed me quietly. I nodded slowly, not wanting to aggravate the pain.

Angela left and after getting dressed, I followed her downstairs. My mother greeted me from the kitchen as I sat down to join Angela for breakfast. "I told her you had only a _little_ bit too much to drink. She doesn't know that Ben and I had to drag you back," she joked in whispers. I grimaced, remembering how wasted I'd been the night before. "I'm never drinking again," I muttered, causing Angela to snicker lightly.

I glared at her. "Don't laugh," I complained. "You don't know how horrible my head feels right now. You didn't have anything to drink." Angela smirked. "Yes, I did," she answered primly. "I'm hungover too, but only slightly, so it's not as obvious." I gaped at her. "You drank?" I asked in astonishment. "But, you're the reverend's daughter. You're supposed to be the epitome of a good girl." She rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean I am. And it's not like you're gonna tell on me." I had to admit: she did have a point, so I let it go.

"Does it still hurt?" Angela asked suddenly. I looked up from my plate to see her watching me with trepidation. She was nibbling the corner of her lips and I had to push away another memory of rose lips, with the lower one slightly fuller than the upper one. Instead, I concentrated on her question. "Yes," I answered without having to think. "Sometimes, the pain is just in the background; I can't forget it, but I can ignore it. And sometimes, something someone says or does reminds me of… of _her_ and then it practically tears me apart."

"What are the triggers?" She asked. "Maybe if we know, we can avoid them." I smiled at her gratefully. "Thanks, Angie, but that's impossible. It's the smallest things. Like a phrase she might have used to tease me, or a compliment, an argument, a passionate description of Romeo and Juliet or Wuthering Heights, even someone biting their lips." Immediately, Angela released her lips and blushed. "Sorry about that," she murmured and I smiled to show it was alright.

Internally, though, I was thankful for having another friend who truly cared.

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 **Next chapter, we'll have a small glimpse of Victoria.**


	9. The Enemy

**This chapter is short. In fact, most of Bella's POV in this story is going to be really short, she doesn't have much going on, except heartbreak and angst. There's only so much I can write of that without depressing myself.**

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Ch. 9- The Enemy- BPOV

I had not realized how much I would miss Alice after she left. She was the only one in the family who I felt comfortable talking with right now; even more than Jasper. I didn't share her confidence that… that _Edward_ and I would be reunited, but I knew she was right when she said I wouldn't have any trouble going back to our vegetarian lifestyle. One of the traits I'd carried over from my last life was my nausea at the scent of blood. Carlisle hadn't had any problems in teaching me self-control. It took a lot of blood to set me off and even that was when I was thirsty. Edward's blood was the only exception.

I was broken out of my own thoughts when I heard someone else's. _'Oh, what the hell? Where is this Laurent? He said he'd be here soon. I need him to go to Forks. I need him to check on the Cullens and that human. Oh, my James. I will avenge you, no matter what.'_ I was running in the direction of the thoughts before I fully realized it. This was it. This was the one I'd been chasing for months. Hate coursed through my veins and venom filled my mouth. _'Who is that? It smells familiar… CULLEN!'_

Victoria took off, my scent propelling her to run to safety. I remembered what Jasper had surmised about her when she'd escaped in Phoenix. _"I think she has an ability; the gift of evasion. Survival is her first, not second, nature,"_ he'd told us. He'd been right, I realized. But, I couldn't let her go now. It was too important to me. It was the only way I could keep Edward safe. It was the only way… _'NO! Where did she go?'_ I screamed in my head.

The scent was gone! It had just disappeared. Not faded away, not covered up with something else, just _gone_. "NOOO!" I screamed as I stopped in the centre of a small clearing, frustration overcoming me. For the next three hours, amidst dry sobs, I worked on aiding deforestation, tearing up trees and small stones from the ground.

* * *

My phone was ringing. Looking at it, I saw it was Jasper. Alice must have seen me breaking down and informed him. Without thinking of the emotional implications of talking to him, I picked up the phone. "Jaz," I whimpered. "Bella? Are you alright?" I heard his familiar voice say, laced with panic. "No," I whispered. "I'm so alone, Jaz. I don't want to be alone, but I can't bear to be around people either." "What do you want, then, sis? How can we make it better?" He asked, desperation clear in his voice.. "I want Edward," I admitted, his name tearing a gaping hole in my stone heart. "Oh, Isa. I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he sighed. "But you're the only one who can fix that, and you're refusing to." "I know," I groaned.

I could almost sense my brother's grief for me and I was thankful that he didn't end the call until my pitiful sobs and cries subsided.

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 **We'll meet Laurent next time. Read and Review, please.**


	10. The Meadow

**Let's go see Laurent.**

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Ch. 10- The Meadow- EPOV

 _'_ _No, no you can't leave me, you can't," I cried out. I was begging, begging the girl who held my heart and soul to stay with me. Bella's eyes were cold and unforgiving. "I don't want to stay with you anymore, Edward. I don't want to waste my life with a mere mortal," she said and I flinched at the harsh words. Words that were breaking me beyond repair. She turned to leave. "Goodbye, Edward. And don't worry, it will be like I never even existed." With that, she disappeared from my sight, leaving me to sink to the forest floor and scream in pain._

I woke up in a cold sweat, shivering from the cold wind that came in through my open window. Five months gone by and I still kept it open in the hopes that _she_ would show up. **_'Don't think like that,'_** a once familiar voice, silky and seductive perfection, chided. I groaned. "Where are you? Why can't I see you?" I begged. The voice didn't answer and I realized the only way to hear it was if I was hurting somehow. Like _she_ still cared about me. What irony.

* * *

The phone had rung five times, before someone picked up. "Black residence," a husky voice had said. Jacob. At the back of my mind, I'd frowned. Rebecca had said that Jacob and she had been having some problems; he was never home and he'd left his old friends, Embry and Quil, to hang out with a group of the oldest kids on the rez, Jared, Sam and Paul. "Hi, Jake, it's me, Edward," I answered, trying not to give away my curiosity as to what exactly had happened to him.

"Oh, Edward, hi," he'd greeted in return. "What's up?" "Nothing much, I just wanted to see if Becca's there so I could come over," I told him. There was a brief hesitation on the other end, then, "Becca's ill. She's come down with mono. She can't take any calls. It'd be better if you didn't come over for some time," he informed me. I pursed my lips in worry. "Okay, tell her to call me when she gets better," I said and hung up.

So, now what? That had been a week ago, and every time I called, I had been told the same thing. Rebecca was my rock. One day without seeing her would mean giving in to unwanted memories. Memories I was terrified to lose, but scared to recall. I'd spent seven days alone, but I couldn't do the same today. Angela and Ben weren't an option. They had gone out to Port Angles on a date. It was spring break, so I didn't have any school work to keep me occupied. Then, it hit me. A sure-fire way of trying to emotionally hurt myself and thus hearing _her_ voice without feeling the pain. No sooner than I had the thought, I heard another voice. **_'Are you out of you mind? You can't trek through the forest alone. The meadow isn't even on the trail. You can't do this, please. You promised you would stay safe,'_** the voice was panicked and pleading. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I let her name fall from my lips. "Sorry, Bella," I whispered. "But, not every promise can be kept."

* * *

The meadow was nothing like how I remembered it. The flowers, the sparkling river, the sweet scent of spring, the distant chirping of birds; it was all there. But, it seemed foreign, alien, without the one who had introduced me to this haven.

Without warning, a sharp pain shot through me, starting from my chest. Unable to bear it, I slowly sank to my knees whimpering, suddenly gasping for breath. The hole in my chest seemed to grow bigger. Oh _God_ , it _hurt_. It hurt so bad, too bad. With difficulty, I got back on my feet and turned to leave, when I felt a small tingle on the back of my neck.

Hesitantly, I turned around to see a figure standing a few feet away from me. His stock-still countenance screamed, _'Vampire!'_ He was dark-skinned under the sheen of vampire pallor. His black hair was in dreadlocks. "Laurent?" I asked, hesitantly. "Edward," he said, sounding surprised. That was when I noticed his eyes were orange, tinged with red, and I felt a shiver go down my spine. Somehow, I knew he was here to kill me.

 ** _'_** ** _Stall for time,'_** I heard a whisper. **_'Make him think we're here. Lie to him, quick.'_** I gave a nervous laugh. "What a coincidence," I said to him. "I suppose you're here to see the… Cullens?" It hurt to say the name, but I managed. "Well, you're in luck," I continued. "She… Bella will be here soon." I had to force myself not to wince on her name.

Laurent's face was unreadable. "Victoria wanted to kill you herself," he muttered and I froze. "But, really, you smell too irresistible." I gaped. He sighed. "I am sorry, Edward," he said, sounding genuinely apologetic. My breaths began to come faster. "But, Victoria was planning to kill you quite cruelly. She wants to pay back Bella for killing James. A mate for a mate, you know. But I promise to be merciful. It'll be quick." With the last words, he fell into a crouch and I knew this was the end. Closing my eyes for a few seconds, I let myself see what I remembered of Bella: her mahogany hair, amber eyes and mischievous smile. "I love you, Bella," I whispered. If I was going to die, her name would be the last word I said. Laurent pounced.

But something knocked into him from the left, sending him sprawling. It was a huge black animal. It was tall as a horse, but much more muscular, like a wolf, with rows of canine-like incisors. It growled menacingly, but it's focus seemed to be on Laurent, not me. As I watched it was joined by five others: two gray, one russet-brown, one auburn, one cream-colored she-wolf. None of them were as big as the black one and they stood in a V-formation, with the black wolf at the point.

The creamy one was closest to me, close enough to touch. As Laurent muttered some obscenities before running away, and the other wolves gave chase, the one with the cream-colored fur turned it's head to look at me. Her eyes were dark, nearly black, and much too intelligent for an animal. At the back of my mind, I was glad I had come alone and not with Rebecca as I'd originally planned.

The she-wolf stared at me for a few seconds, before following his brethren, leaving me behind, frozen at my spot in shock and fear.

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 **Read and Review please.**


	11. Illusions

**Another short chapter, guys. Sorry, but like I said, Bella doesn't really have much going on right now.**

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Ch. 11- Illusions- BPOV

 _I wanted to go to him. To hug him and beg his forgiveness. To ask him for another chance. But I forced myself to stay hidden within the leaf-laden boughs of the tree. I'd been there since lunch hour, keeping track of him through everyone else's minds. Edward's scent reached me even from here, calming me. Finally, he emerged._

 _He was walking towards his car with Ben, Angela and another girl, tall with short auburn hair. I didn't pay any attention at all to his three companions; my eyes were solely riveted on him. He looked healthy. His skin had lost the last of it's Phoenix tan, thanks to the constant cloud cover in Forks, and his eyes were sparkling, his smile bright. He looked happy and carefree. I gave a sigh of relief and thought of waiting for him at his house. Elizabeth and Phil wouldn't be there, so it would be the perfect time to talk to him._

 _But all my hopes were dashed the next instant. The red-haired girl stepped closer to Edward, wrapping an arm around his waist, and he smiled down at her. Ignoring the teasing remarks from his friends, he inclined his head only slightly and I watched in utter despair as she copied the movement and kissed his lips._

I screamed, sending a small flock of birds screeching into the air. I was breathing heavily, I soon realized, and groaned in self disgust. I was pathetic. Vampires weren't supposed to suffer hallucinations. They didn't dream, they didn't hyperventilate, they didn't need anything called 'recovery period'. So, why did I? Every time, I let myself stop thinking or hunting or trying to find leads on Victoria, I would automatically slip into an imaginary scenario, where I went back to Forks and saw the disastrous results of my deeds.

I had no way of confirmation to see whether they may be true or not. I had forbidden Alice from deliberately checking in on Edward through her visions. If they came unbidden, then I had made her promise not to tell me under any circumstances. I wasn't worried about his health. He had promised me, hadn't he, that he would take care of himself?

No, I would be more affected if I found out he had moved on from me. But I couldn't begrudge him that. Edward deserved much more than me. He deserved a life, and I couldn't give that to him. There was nothing that pained me more.

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 **Next time, Edward and Becca fight. Read and Review, please.**


	12. Blowout

**Ok, now, Edward and Becca are going to have a fight. Let's go see.**

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Ch. 12- Blowout- EPOV

Why wasn't Becca answering? It had been nearly two weeks since I'd seen her and I couldn't take the loneliness anymore. Mom tried to take leave from the hospital as much as she could. From what I heard of whispered conversations, the hospital staff were sorely missing Carlisle. He had been their leading surgeon and, apart from that, he had been a good friend to many, inspite of his family's reclusive nature.

And now, in addition to my _'Cullen-induced'_ nightmares, I also kept dreaming of those monstrous creatures who had, ironically, saved me that day from being killed and sucked dry by a thirsty vampire. I sighed. The nightmares wouldn't have been this bad if _my_ vampires had saved me. Unfortunately, they hadn't, and they weren't my vampires, much less my family. They never were.

I winced at the stab of pain in my chest and decided it was a better idea to think about Rebecca. No sooner than I had the thought, I heard Phil calling me. "Edward? You there?" "Yeah, I'm right here," I answered and went downstairs to see him. He looked at me with mild surprise. "Why aren't you at the Blacks with Rebecca?" He asked. I could see the concern in his thoughts. I shrugged, trying to seem like I didn't care. "Jake told me she had mono."

Phil frowned. "That's funny," he muttered. "I just saw her at the motor shop with her brother and another guy on my way here. She looked just as healthy as ever." I stared at her, my thoughts reeling from his simple words. Jacob had lied to me? And Rebecca hadn't reached out to me? Or maybe, she had recovered but Jake had forgotten to give her my message and it slipped her mind too. "I made up my mind. "I'm going to see her," I decided and rushed up to change. "You do that," Phil yelled after me. "She looked like she could use some company. She was arguing with Jake and the other boy."

Half an hour later, I was sitting in my car in front of the Black's house. I knew Billy was aware of my presence; I had caught him peeking out the curtains more than once. One look towards the house and I realized Rebecca and Jacob weren't home. So, as I waited for them to return, I remembered what Becca had told me about the cult-like group that had formed in the rez, with Sam Uley at the head. How first it had been just three boys; him, Paul and Jared; then one of Jake's best friends, Embry Call had joined. A few weeks later, Jake had suddenly started to hang out with them. As much as he used to curse and rage about them for corrupting Embry, he was suddenly looking up to Sam and following him around. His other best friend, Quil, and Becca had been worried that they would be next. And now, somehow, I knew it: they, or at least, Rebecca, had joined the gang.

A sharp rap on the side of my window startled me. I looked up to see Rebecca standing rigidly, her arms crossed over her chest. I did a double take when I saw how much she had changed since the last time I saw her. Her waist-length hair was cut to just above her shoulders, she seemed a little taller, nearly as tall as me. But that wasn't what disturbed me. No, it was the look on her face that scared me. Gone was the happy-go-lucky smile I'd grown accustomed to, the infectious grin that had helped me to forget all the pain, the twinkling eyes that had considerably brightened my days, cliché as that sounded. In it's place was a dark fiery look, like something had lit up inside her and was fuelling her with anger. Her mouth was set in a grim line that seemed to mirror the one on the faces of the five men behind her.

Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry and Jacob all looked the same. They could have been brothers, with their smooth russet skin, dark eyes, close cropped hair. "What are you doing here, Edward?" Rebecca asked, her voice filled with anger. My eyes focused on Sam for a moment and I felt a surge of hatred at him for taking away my friend. I wanted badly to take a swing at him. No, more than anything, in that instant, I wanted to be stronger, more powerful, someone who would scare Sam silly.

I wanted to be a vampire.

The force of my forbidden wish nearly knocked me over as I was reminded forcibly of Bella.

"I need to talk to you, Becca," I said with difficulty, looking back at her. "In private," I added. Becca turned to face Sam. He nodded and Rebecca looked back at me, before starting to walk towards the forest. Ignoring the other boys, I got out of the car and followed her. In the back of my mind, I noted that Becca seemed more graceful than I remembered her to be. Abruptly, she stopped and swung around to face me.

"What did he do to you?" I suddenly moaned. Becca shut her eyes. "It's not Sam. Don't blame him. It's not his fault," she answered. I tried to say something, but she didn't let me. "We just can't be friends anymore, Edward," she said. "I'm not good for you." I couldn't take it anymore. "And who should I blame for that, if not Sam?" I shot back.

She halfway smiled, but it seemed bitter. "You don't want to know that," she said. "The hell I don't," I snapped. "Tell me whose fault this is now, if not your precious Sam." "You asked for it," she growled, her eyes glinting in rage. "Why don't you try pointing the finger at those filthy, reeking bloodsuckers that you love so much?" My mouth fell open as her words hit me like a blow to the chest. Pain shot through my nerves, but for once, it took a backseat to the words that Rebecca had said.

"I don't know who you're talking about," I whispered reflexively. Becca's face twisted in pure fury. "Oh, don't you?" She whispered back. "The Cullens," she drew the name out. "Your ex- _girlfriend_." I shut my eyes for a few seconds. There was no point in lying. She obviously knew. What I didn't know is what the Cullens had anything to do with Sam's cult. "Okay, okay," I said quietly. But what does that have anything to do with this? They're gone. What are you blaming them for?" "Yes, they're gone," Becca agreed. "But, sometimes, things are set in motion and then it's too late. So, I blame them for existing." She was trembling now, her hands shaking in anger. I tried not to start when I heard a cautious voice in my head, the kind that didn't hurt to remember.

 ** _"_** ** _Be careful, Edward. Don't push her too hard,"_** Bella warned me. **_"Give her a chance to calm down, please. I can't protect you when you're so far away."_** Without warning, Becca stilled, calming down slightly. She took a deep breath and said," Go back, Edward and don't come back. I can't hang out with you anymore." "No," I groaned. "Please, don't do this. Becca, I need you. You're my best friend." "I'm sorry," her voice broke on the words and she turned and ran away, back in the direction of her house, while I stood rooted to the spot, only just becoming aware of the tears leaking from my eyes.

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Rain was falling and I found my best friend, walking soundlessly beside me, though beneath my feet the ground crunched like dry gravel. But she wasn't my Becca; she was the new, bitter, graceful Rebecca. The smooth suppleness of her walk reminded me of someone else, and, as I watched, her features started to change. The russet color of her skin faded away, leaving her face pale white, flawless and smooth as silk. The polished river-stones she had for eyes turned gold, sparkling like flints of amber. Her newly-cut hair twisted in the breeze, lightening to a dark brown, growing to just past her shoulders. And her face morphed, becoming so beautiful that it shattered my heart to see. I reached for her, but she took a step away, raising her hands like a shield. I was abruptly reminded of both Rebecca and _her_ , when she'd shown me her meadow. And then Isabella vanished.

She disappeared from my sight and I sat up in bed, tears and sweat mingling on my brow in spite of the cold drafts coming in. A conversation from another time echoed in my head. _'Werewolves have enemies?' 'Only the one. You would call them vampires. It''s the werewolves' duty to protect the people from them.'_ And one word stood out now; the answer to everything that had gone wrong two weeks ago. _WEREWOLVES_.

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 **You know, I really hate what Edward and Jacob had made Bella go through in New Moon. But there's no way to write the story if you try to avoid that.**


	13. Drowning

**Another useless chapter; really, the only reason, I'm bothering to write in her POV, is so we don't lose track of what's happening with her.**

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Ch. 13- Drowning-BPOV

I ran through the forest effortlessly; my steps smooth, my strides long and my grace flawless. It was the run of a predator, of a monster. Not the monster that human mothers tell their children at night about; No, I was the worst kind of monster. The one who would get close with seeming to have the only intention of being your friend and then betraying you by killing you and drinking your blood. I was a demon from hell.

Abruptly, I stopped, breathing hard. No, not breathing. Sobbing. Trying to will non-existent tears to fall from my eyes. Edward's brilliant green eyes haunted me and no matter, where I went, I could still hear his last pleading cries. _'Wait, please. Don't go.'_ I shut my eyes and tried to control my shaking. Tried to _breathe._ I frowned. _'How did I end up here again?'_ I wondered. Then, I remembered taking a flight when I was chasing Victoria. I was now in Brazil. I gazed at my surroundings and idly realized that I was in a meadow of sorts. It was nothing compared to the one I'd left behind in Forks, but it would do. I debated what to do as I walked towards the edge of the small lake.

The water was completely calm and my reflection was clear. I hadn't hunted, human or animal, in nearly a month and my eyes were a charcoal black with thirst. Even the criminals and rapists I'd been drinking from were not enough to keep my mind sane. I took a deep breath, taking in the scents and noted that no humans ever came here. They probably didn't know about this place. My mind made up, I slipped the bag off my back and slid it to the ground. Thank god, Alice had had the sense to pack extra clothes; I was going to need them. Quickly, hoping to fall into a meditative state that would help me remember only what I wanted, I tied my hair up in a messy bun and, without holding my breath, jumped into the water. I swam to the bottom of the shallow waters and settled there. I could still hear the soft sounds of the forest, but they were muted. The small aquatic life in the pool had the instinct to keep distance from me.

Not needing to breathe had its perks and I resolved to stay in the dark depths for as long as possible.

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 **Next chapter is when Edward sees the wolves phasing.**


	14. Confessions

**This chapter, all the secrets are finally revealed.**

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Ch. 14- Confessions- EPOV

Phil looked worried. I noticed it when I sat down for breakfast, my mom watching him with a frown. "What's wrong?" She asked. Phil sighed. "A group of hikers were killed last weekend. Their bodies weren't found, but some scraps of cloth and blood were. Some people have been reporting sightings of large, wolf-like animals, who might be the cause." I stiffened at the term and resolved to visit the Blacks again today.

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I was driving back towards the reservation, trying to calm myself, so I wouldn't blurt out something wrong. The smooth, steady hum of the Volvo's engine only served to put me on edge. As soon as I parked in front of the low, red-walled house, I leaped out and rang the bell. Billy answered the door. His eyes widened up at me in shock and he sighed, "Edward." "Is she home?" I asked shortly. "Edward, I don't think…" he started to say, but I cut him off. "Do you know Phil was telling me this morning that the police department are thinking of leading a hunt into the woods to search for some _really_ , large wolves, who everyone thinks are responsible for the death of some hikers?" Billy blanched. "So I think Rebecca should know about that, don't you?" I continued.

Silently, he moved aside and let me in. Quickly, moving through the door, I made my way to the living room only to see two figures sprawled over the couches. Rebecca was curled up at the corner of the sofa and Jacob had his head on her knees. Both their eyes were closed, their lips slightly parted and were breathing softly. In that instant, all my anger and annoyance at the two siblings disappeared and I lost the urge to wake them up and scream at them; they looked simply too peaceful to be disturbed.

I sighed and my eyes drifted up to look through the window. They narrowed when they saw four boys coming out of the forest. They were all wearing black shorts and no shirts. Gritting my teeth, I hurried out of the house to meet them.

One of them, Paul, snarled when he saw me. "What has that stubborn girl done now? What did she tell you?" He yelled at me. Sam put a warning hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Paul. Jake was talking to me last night. They think he can help us; give us some information." Paul let out a bark of laughter. "Right, I bet the leech-lover is just dying to help us," he sneered. That did it for me. "Becca didn't tell me anything, you idiot. Because, obviously, you people won't let her." As I finished, I saw red and before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward and delivered a solid punch to his jaw.

A shudder passed through his body, like a convulsion. "Paul, calm down," Jared yelled in alarm. Then there was a loud ripping noise, and without warning, the boy's body morphed. Silver fur erupted all over him and he grew to an enormous size. The wolf's muzzle wrinkled over his teeth and he snarled.

Stumbling back in fear, I heard an enraged yell behind me. In the same second, Jacob and Rebecca both ran forward in front of me. As I watched in awe and fear, both of them trembled violently and in a split second, where they had been standing were now a russet-colored wolf and a she-wolf with creamy fur. The cream one charged toward the Paul-wolf and a furious fight began, with the russet wolf joining in. "Get Edward to Emily's house," Sam grumbled, as the three wolves took off into the forest, their snarls still audible. Sam ran after them, leaving me dumbfounded with Jared and Embry.

Jared looked me over carefully. "You okay? Feeling queasy? Dizzy? Anything?" "No, I'm fine," I managed to say, though it came out as a squeak. Embry rolled his eyes at his companion. "In that case, let's get into that fancy car of yours and drive to Emily's," he suggested. Then he suddenly looked at me, like he remembered something. "You know Emily?" He questioned. "She's Sam's girlfriend… fiancé now," he went on, when I shook my head. "Word of advise, don't stare at her face. Sam won't like it." On that cryptic note, we piled into my car.

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When I saw Emily, I wondered if Sam would be angry with anyone staring at her, because she was so pretty. She was tall and willowy, with coppery skin, shiny black hair and a lilting voice. Then she turned to smile at us The right side of her face was scarred from hairline to chin by three thick, red lines, livid in color though they were obviously long healed. One line pulled down the corner of her dark right eye, another twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace. Thankful for Embry's warning, I quickly made sure to focus on her warm almond-shaped eyes. "Who's this?" She asked, smiling at me.

"Edward Masen, of course," Jared said, like it should have been obvious. "Who else?" "She figured it out, did she," Emily mused. She fixed her mismatched stare on me, her face blank. "So, you're the vampire boy." I stiffened slightly. "And you're the wolf-girl," I retorted without a thought. To my surprise, all three of them laughed and I relaxed.

The sound of laughter reached us and the door burst open to Sam, Paul, Jacob and Becca. To my surprise, Jacob and Paul had an arm around each other and they along with Rebecca were all grinning at some joke. Paul looked at me and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about before, Edward," he said. "I was actually pissed at Becca here, not you." I smiled back to show him he was forgiven, then turned to apologise to Sam. But, he went straight to Emily, kissing her scars, then her lips. Immediately, I looked away. This was worse than any romantic movie. I crossed my arms and tried to keep old wounds from reopening.

"Now," Sam said, sitting down. "I believe we have something to discuss," and sent a meaningful glance towards me.

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"So, you really don't mind that I turn into a large wolf?" Becca asked me for the tenth time as we walked down the beach. "No, I don't," I answered again. "It's like I said, I'm pretty good with weird." A short silence. "So, the scar on your right wrist," Rebecca began. "It's a vampire bite, but not from one of the Cul… Sorry, one of them, right?" I nodded. Over the last two hours, the wolves and I had been discussing stories.

Apparently, they had killed Laurent. But, the one murdering the hikers was supposedly his mate, a red-haired vampire. They'd been trying to catch her, but she kept running off, only to come back again and again. At this point, I had stepped in to tell them the events of last year. The whole fiasco at the baseball game, the hide-and-seek game with Victoria and her mate, James, the bite, _Bella_ saving me. In return, they had told me about how their minds were intimately connected in wolf forms and I told them about the extra abilities the Cullens had had. Admittedly, I'd felt guilt at doing so, but… it's not like it would affect them right?

Anyway, the final verdict had been to keep me on the rez as much as possible, since I was the one Victoria was after. _'A mate for a mate.'_ I shook off the memory and gazed at the cliffs looking out over the ocean. To my surprise, I could dimly make out a couple of figures standing at the edge of he tallest precipice. As I watched, one of them jumped off and dove into the water below. I yelped and Becca followed my gaze, before giggling. "Relax, they're just cliff-diving," she laughed. "We all do it." I blinked in surprise as another figure jumped off gracefully, then turned to Becca, smiling crookedly at her. She raised an eyebrow at my expression and clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. "Alright, I'll take you someday," she sighed, pretending to be exasperated and I grinned at her in thanks. Then another long silence.

"I'm sorry for everything, you know, the secrets and…" Rebecca suddenly said softly, trailing off before completing, and looked at me sheepishly. I smiled back at her. Another thing I'd learnt about the pack was that Sam was the leader, the Alpha, so the other wolves were bound by nature to do exactly as he said. Sam had been the one to order Becca and Jake to cut off all ties with me, in fear that one of them would accidentally hurt me, just as he'd hurt Emily once in a fit of blind rage. I didn't know the whole story, but I hadn't asked. It was evidently a painful memory.

"It's alright, Becca," I laughed. "Really?" She asked. "I'm forgiven?" I nodded and Becca let out a joyful sound. All the bitterness and anger seemed to disappear as she threw her head back in relief. Abruptly, she flung her arms around me neck and I retuned her hug, lifting her off the ground slightly to spin her around, with our laughter mingling together. Her skin was warm, hot to the touch, another _wolf thing_ as she'd said.

But as her arms stayed around my neck, her head resting on my shoulder, I also realized that I'd missed something; a look in Rebecca's eyes I hadn't noticed till then. And with that uncomfortable thought, I prayed I was wrong and wouldn't end up hurting my best friend.

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 **Next time, we have Bella contemplating suicide.**


	15. After Death

**This is one of my favourite chapters. Enjoy.**

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Ch. 15- After Death- BPOV

I sat cross-legged at the bottom of the lake, my hair floating around around me. The still waters seemed therapeutic, infusing a fake calm in me, the kind that Jasper created. But the pain was still pulsing in my body, unrelenting and unforgiving.

 _The fire blazed, it's flames leaping around like a wild dance._

Would it be wrong to kill myself now? I had nothing to live for after all. Victoria had managed to evade me successfully, but on the times I got close enough to hear her thoughts, I surmised that she didn't plan to go to Forks. Maybe she had given up. I had let her go a month ago.

 _The centre-most flame of the small inferno was a lovely blue, the exact color that Edward had loved the most on me. The blue was surrounded by just a tinge of green, a green that matched Edward's eyes exactly. The flames winked at me, teasing, beckoning me to come closer._

My family would be devastated, I knew. Emmett would no longer be able to tease and annoy me; Alice would have no one to argue with; Rosalie would blame herself for the whole fiasco; Jasper would go into denial, unable to believe that his little sister had gone; Esme would never be able to bring herself to terms with the fact that she had lost another one of her precious children; Carlisle… Carlisle would be the most heartbroken of all. I had, after all, been his first companion after two centuries of loneliness. We shared a connection like no other; that of a father and daughter.

 _I stared into the flames, trying to fight the urge to step closer. Behind me, I could hear the far-away cries of my parents and my siblings, each one of them begging me to reconsider. But, almost unconsciously, my ears strained to hear just one voice._

I knew if I did burn myself, Alice would break her promise to me and go to Forks; they all would. They would tell Edward of his lover's demise; how she had lied to him to protect him. How she had been unable to cope with the separation and ended up jumping into flames. Would he care? Would it make any difference to him?

" _Bella, no, are you crazy? You can't kill yourself, that's completely stupid." Ah, yes, there was the voice I wanted to hear. But, it seems to take the rest of my family's side. That voice, it didn't want me to die. Why?_

Who was I kidding? This was Edward I was thinking about. Of course, he would care. Whether he hated me or not, he wasn't so cruel, as to wish me dead. On the contrary, if he somehow got wind of my plans, he would rush over to Brazil to save me. But, still, he would only do so out of the nature of his heart and soul, not because he had any love for me. Why should he anyways?

 _I got a little closer to the fire. The heat was now palpable to my skin, hot and blazing. I was just about to jump, when my own words started echoing around my head. The very words I had said to Edward during prom and the day of the party. "As long as you live, I live," I'd told him. "But, if something were to happen to you, if you died, I'd find a way to follow after. Because, I can't live in a world where you don't exist." What was I thinking? I couldn't kill myself, not now, not yet. Edward was still ALIVE. I had no reason to die until the next sixty or eighty years._

My eyes flashed open and, in a flurry, I swam up to the surface, clambering over the edge to the solid ground. I took a deep breath to taste the sweet air, mentally calculating that I'd been underwater for three weeks. I stayed on my hands and knees, my strong fingers digging into the soil. I knew my phone had rung several times from my family members, but I'd religiously ignored them. I would have to call them back, so they wouldn't worry too much, though, as usual, Alice must have informed them already. Although, I hoped to all the gods, that she hadn't seen my almost-decision to commit suicide. The knowledge would hurt her beyond imagination.

As I subconsciously planned the next few days, a single word escaped my lips. "Edward," I whispered, like a prayer.

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 **Read and Review, please.**


	16. Cliff-Diving

**This is the cliff-diving episode.**

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Ch. 16- Cliff-Diving- EPOV

I picked at my nails, waiting for something, _anything,_ to happen. I was in the Black's garage, while Becca and Jacob were out with the rest of the pack, following a fresh trail. I felt a shudder go through me as I thought of that red-headed vampire. I was suddenly glad the Cullens were not here. The thought of any of them fighting Victoria sent me into a cold sweat. It was bad enough that the wolves were out there risking their lives for me.

My eyes roamed the bookshelf in the garage, the ones that, according to Jake, belonged to Rachel. One title caught my eye: Romeo and Juliet. A streak of pain shot through me as I stared at the well-worn spine of the book. With trembling fingers, I pulled it out and gently stroked the cover. I knew the story; knew it too well, thanks to Bella. Still shaking, I put it back and went to sit on the couch.

A sudden thought entered my head. What if Romeo hadn't left Juliet? What if he'd never been banished? What if, instead, it had been Juliet who left? Not because she was exiled, but because she'd become bored? Because, she'd lost interest in him? I thought I could understand how Romeo would have fared? He would never have been able to give his heart to another again. He would have tried to go on, he would have tried to live. But he would never really have been alive. He would have been just an empty shell.

I rapidly shook my head. The story wasn't like that. There was a reason it was such a good story and it was that, in the end, Romeo's name would always be remembered entwined with Juliet's. I sighed and looked out the grimy window. The sky was dark outside, the cliff set against it like a painting. I recalled Becca's promise to me that she would take me cliff-diving. She wasn't there, but why couldn't I go alone? It felt like ages since I'd last heard Bella's voice and not being able to hear it for too long hurt just as much. It was funny, actually, how trying to remember her, or saying her name, hurt so much, but listening to those hallucinations of her trying to keep me safe, made me feel whole again; like she was really there.

My mind made up, I left the garage and began driving in the direction of the cliff, before leaving it to walk up the narrow trail that led to the highest point. I knew Rebecca had planned to take me to the lower outcropping, but I couldn't find the trail to that one. So, it was that in a few minutes, I was standing at the rocky precipice. The wind had picked up and the first drops began to splatter on my face.

I smiled and quickly took off my jacket and shoes, before blindly stepping out onto the edge, waiting for the moments I cherished.

 ** _"_** ** _Wait,"_** I smiled again and let out a breath I'd been holding. "Yes?" I asked aloud, keeping my voice innocent, knowing how that would annoy her even more. **_"Don't do this, Edward, please,"_** the voice pleaded. She sounded so close, so real. "Why shouldn't I?" I countered. "You wanted me to be human, right? Now, watch me," I challenged, taunting her. **_"Please, for me,"_** she tried. I had always found it difficult to ignore her voice, so perfect and melodious in its silky tenor. And, now, it was so clearly full of pain, I almost reconsidered my decision. "This is the only way you'll stay with me," I explained and stretched out my arms, ready to dive just the way I used to in the public pool back in Phoenix.

 ** _"_** ** _No Edward!"_** She yelled in anger and the anger was so beautiful. But, it was too late: I jumped. A scream of exhilaration left me as the winds buffeted around me, trying in vain to fight the gravity. Then, I hit the water.

The current caught me, chilling me to the bone. The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me in any direction. I didn't even know where the surface was. Gravity was all-powerful when it competed with the air, but it had nothing on the waves. I couldn't feel a downward pull, a sinking in any direction. Just the battering of the current that flung me round and round like a rag doll. I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips sealed shut. It occurred to me right then that I wasn't going to make. I was going to die. And instead of filling me with terror, it gave me a sense of peace I hadn't felt in a long time. There would be no pain after this, no tearing sensations, no gaping hole in my chest. Just blackness.

So, it was no surprise that, as I stopped trying to fight the current, letting it have it's way, I didn't see my life flash through my eyes, like I was supposed to me. Instead, I saw Bella.

I saw her and I lost all will to fight. I had never seen in my hallucinations before; my subconscious had been storing her image for this moment. It was so clear, so flawless in detail, so much better than any memory. **_"Keep swimming,"_** he ordered me. _'But, there's nowhere to swim to,'_ I pointed out in my head. **_"No, don't think like that, Edward, just keep swimming. FIGHT,"_** she yelled, panic flaring in her eyes. **_"God damn it, Edward, keep fighting."_** I didn't answer this time; I just took in her image, trying to burn it in my memory to take with me: the exact shape of her coolly pale skin, the fullness of her lips, her stubborn jaw, the gold glinting in her amber eyes. She was furious that I was giving up; her teeth clenched and her eyes narrowed in rage.

But, I ignored all that. I only focussed on the fact that she was there, with me, trying to save me. Her mere presence, the sound of her voice filled me with content. My mind relaxed and I could almost hear the strains of my lullaby, which I hadn't heard since she'd left, playing in the background of my conscious. I'd forgotten what real happiness felt like and it made the whole dying thing pretty bearable.

 ** _"_** ** _No! Edward, no!"_** Bella was screaming. In that instant, Death won. An iron bar clamped down on my shoulder, and began pulling me away from Bella. The remaining air left my mouth in a flurry of bubbles and I felt myself sinking into the darkness. **_"Edward, no! Edward!"_** Bella's voice was ringing in my ears, but all I could tell her, before blacking out, was, _'Goodbye, Bella. I love you.'_ That was my last thought.

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 **Read and Review, please.**


	17. A Piece Of My Heart

**Sorry for the late update.**

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Ch. 17- A Piece Of My Heart - BPOV

The hotel room I was staying in had a view of the entire city and the skyline at sunset was definitely a marvel. But I couldn't really find it in myself to appreciate it, not when the most beautiful thing life had ever offered me was back in Forks. I sighed and for the millionth time, thanked Alice's foresight to pack everything I could possibly need, including my credit card, phone, laptop and legal documents marking me as a twenty-three years old adult.

With a sigh, I leaned against the chair and stared moodily out at the city, bathed in the light of the dying sun. I had hunted once before re-entering the city; animals, not humans. I couldn't bring myself to kill anyone. But it hadn't been enough to turn my eyes completely gold. So, they were more of a dirty yellow, instead of the topaz Edward had loved so much.

Edward. It had been a few days, since I'd had any delusions about him. I didn't let myself relax enough. It hurt too much to see him, to be reminded of all the reasons why I should go back. Because it was tempting. More than once, I'd caught myself about to book the flight tickets, back to Seattle, where I would only have to book a car and drive to Forks. I had absolutely nothing left in the world to do, or think about. The loneliness was stifling and it seemed the only relief would be found in the one solution that I'd forbidden myself.

Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad, if I let myself 'dream', for lack of a better word, about _him_. Just maybe. I truly was a masochist. So, against my better judgement, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, and relaxed, allowing myself to slip into a sort of trance.

* * *

 _Edward was sitting on the edge of the bed, fingering something in his hand. I couldn't quite see what it was, but I didn't really care. My eyes were drawn towards his person like a magnet. As I raked my eyes over him, I realized with a start, that, unlike my other hallucinations, this one looked ill. Not physically, but like something inside him had broken._

 _His messy, bronze hair seemed to have lost its shine, his face pale and drawn, and he looked slightly thinner than I remembered. Frail, weak, tired. His eyes were the worst. Gone was the bright emerald that drew me in. They were dark, shattered, and there were deep, purplish shadows under his eyes, indicating many sleepless nights. "Edward," I whimpered. But of course, he couldn't hear me._

 _The object in his hands caught the light through the window and I realised, with a jolt, that it was the thin blade of a pocket knife. "This is the only way," Edward muttered to himself. Horrified, I realized what he was going to do. "No! No, Edward, don't do this," I cried out, trying to warn him, yet knowing that there was no point. "I'm sorry, Bella," he said in a broken whisper. "I'm sorry I'm breaking my promise."_

 _And with those words, he slashed the knife across his wrist, drawing blood with the quick stroke._

* * *

My eyes shot open, a harsh gasp of pain escaping me. What I had seen; it wasn't possible, it just wasn't. Edward had promised me, he would stay safe. He couldn't. Surely, I hadn't hurt him that badly, that he would consider cutting himself. Surely, I could never have affected his life to such an extent that he refused to live without me. He was, after all, only human. He wasn't supposed to feel so strongly. He was supposed to have gotten over me after a few months.

With a sudden lack of any of my normal grace, I scrambled off the chair and went inside. Trying to console myself that Alice would have seen Edward deciding to do something so drastic and would have called him immediately, but needing to be sure, I called the one number I had sworn myself I never would again: the Masen's landline . As the phone rang, I took several deep breaths, preparing myself of hearing his voice after so long. But, I kept telling myself, that if Edward picked up the phone, I would end the call without answering. If it was Phil or Elizabeth, I would only inquire after him, and then end the call without offering further explanations.

Someone picked up. "Masen residence," a voice came through. It was unfamiliar; husky, but young, probably teenager. Female. Without pausing to think about the implications of a girl answering Edward's phone, I asked, "May I please speak to Phil or Elizabeth Masen?" I altered my voice slightly, making it seem older than it was. "They're not home," the girl answered. Something in her tone gave the impression of impatience or annoyance. "Well, where are they then?" I asked, somewhat testily. There was a short pause, then, "They're arranging a funeral."

I wasn't aware of the setting the phone down. My whole world had suddenly been turned upside down. Edward was dead. The words swarmed in my head, plaguing me, taunting me. Maybe I screamed in pain. Maybe I cried tearlessly for hours straight, my body rocking back and forth to the rhythm that had once been Edward's heartbeat. Maybe I'd been in shock, simply staring at the wall in front of me, though not really seeing anything.

I don't remember. All I knew then was that a piece of my heart was gone. That my one reason for existence was gone and it was my own fault. And there was only one befitting punishment for such a sin: death.

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 **I hope this chapter wasn't confusing. I don't want Bella angry at anybody when she returns from Volterra, that's why she doesn't get a phone call, instead she has one of her own hallucinations. Read and Review, please.**


	18. A Visitor

**Sorry for the late update, guys. Please read on.**

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Ch. 18- A Visitor- EPOV

"Come on, breathe. Breathe Edward," someone was saying repeatedly. Coughing, I opened my eyes to see Jacob kneeling on the ground beside me, Rebecca on my other side. "What happened?" I asked. I was pretty sure I'd been dying with the most perfect last thought in my head. How did I end up here? "Becca saw you weren't at home. We followed your car tracks and then we realized where you were. I jumped in and found you almost unconscious, and pulled you out." My eyes were starting to clear up and I looked at both the siblings in turn.

Jacob and Rebecca's faces were lined with grief and worry, and I got the sense that I was missing something. "What happened?" I asked, dread filling me. Had Victoria hurt someone? It would be my fault. The wolves had, after all, been protecting me. Jake knew what I was asking. He took a deep breath to steady himself and I was filled with more anxiety when I saw tears glimmering at the edges of his dark eyes. "Harry Clearwater had a heart attack this morning. He was rushed to the hospital this morning. He… He's…" he choked up and I realized what he couldn't put into words. "Who's taking care of Seth and Leah?" I asked in whispers. "They're at Quil's place," he replied in the same tone. "Billy, Phil and your mother are at the hospital right now with Sue."

I nodded, a wave of guilt crashing over me. How could I have been so selfish? Someone had just died and here I was risking my life, when everyone was already going to extreme lengths to keep me safe. "I need to get over to the hospital; see if they need anything. Rebecca will drive you home." I looked over to Becca and she finally met my eyes. I noticed how red hers were and it occurred to me that she'd been crying. More guilt piled on for making my best friend cry.

* * *

I was still shivering every now and then when Becca stopped the car in front of my house, inspite of wearing Jacob's clothes. My companion turned to me. "Cold?" She asked. I nodded and she silently wrapped her arms around me. I returned the movement and we stayed like that for a long time, her forehead pressed to my shoulder, my cheeks brushing against her hair. "I'm so glad, you're okay," she suddenly whispered. She'd been quiet the whole time and I was glad to finally hear her speak. "I'm sorry for worrying you," I told her. "I just had to do something; the waiting around was getting on my nerves," I explained. "Well, next time you feel like doing something so drastic, just wait till I get back, please," she said with a nervous chuckle. "I really can't concentrate on hunting down bloodsuckers if I think you're getting ready to do something stupid." I nodded, though I knew I couldn't really promise.

For a few minutes, there was silence. I thought back to that afternoon, when I'd been wondering about Romeo and Juliet. I knew Rebecca wanted more than just friendship from me. But could I give it to her? I knew I would never be able to love her wholly, the way she deserved, but if it was what she wanted, could I do it? Could I at least give her enough so she would be satisfied? Rebecca shifted slightly, so her chin was propped up on my shoulder. I could see from the corner of my eyes that her lids were shut. I could start it right then, I knew. All I had to do was move my head an inch and her lips would brush against mine.

Becca made me happy. She kept me sane and anchored. Didn't both of us deserved this much? Would it be betrayal, if I let it happen? Surely, Bella, inspite of her indifference towards me at the very end, would want me to be happy, at the very least.

That's when it happened. As clearly as if I were in danger, as if I were still on the edge of that cliff, I heard her silky voice. **_"Be happy,"_** she whispered.

I froze, not having expected that. Becca felt me stiffen and she must have interpreted it wrong because she slowly let me go and reached across to open the door on my side. In the next second, she slammed it shut again, her dark eyes suddenly wild with fury. "Holy crap," she hissed. "Becca, what is it?" I asked in alarm. "There's a vampire in your house. I can smell it from here," she spit out. Her eyes raked the dark street, barely aware of the tremors, that signalled a compulsion to phase, running through her body. She revved the engine, the tires squealing as she turned it in the direction we came, and the headlights washed over the pavement, the streetlights and a black car parked across my house. "Stop!" I suddenly yelled out.

The car was a Mercedes S55 AMG. I was a mediocre autophile, but I knew more than just the horsepower and technical details of that particular car. I could tell you the exact color of its interior, the feel of the powerful engine purring through the frame. I could tell you about the rich smell of the leather seats and the way the extra-dark tint of the windows made noon look like dusk. It was Carlisle's car. "STOP!" I shouted again. "Stop the car, Becca. I have to go back." At my words, Rebecca stomped on the brake hard, so I had to catch myself against the dashboard. "You what?" She asked, her eyes aghast and filled with horror. "It's the Cullens. It's Carlise's car. I know it," I explained. "There's a vampire in your house and you _want_ to go back?" She shot at me. I turned my eyes to her with difficulty, afraid that the car would disappear as soon as I looked away. "Of course, I do. We have to go back," I answered vehemently. A small spasm of betrayal passed through her eyes. Without answering, she shifted the car to neutral. "Go back yourself, Edward," she spoke through clenched teeth. "If the Cullens are back, we can't be caught on their territory. I have to warn Sam." With that, she jumped out and dashed into the woods.

Remorse and guilt held me for a split second, but it wasn't enough to deter me for too long. Sliding into the driver's seat, I turned it back around to my house and sprinted up the front steps. I hesitated before turning the key. Who would it be inside? Just Carlise? And maybe, Esme? _'No,'_ I told myself. _'Just Carlisle. That's enough.'_ It was more than I'd ever expected to have again. My hands shaking, I opened the door and stepped inside, flicking the light switch.

There stood my visitor, standing stock-still in the middle of the living room, just two feet away from me, her face a marble sculpture and her eyes the color of a candle flame. For a long second, I just stared at her, not knowing how to react. My heart was hammering against my chest in anticipation. She was not the one I had expected to see. My visitor stared right back at me, her lovely features expressing shock and confusion, which abruptly melted into relief. Without warning, she barged into me at vampire speed, her body knocking into mine, her head burying itself in my chest, her arms circling my waist. I'd forgotten how hard she was; it was like having a brick wall come to life and ram you.

But I didn't even register the shock. With tears filling my eyes, my arms went up to hug her back, as her tiny body began to shake with sobs. "Alice," I whispered brokenly and her hold tightened. Then, she pulled back and looked at me with extreme scrutiny. "Do you mind telling me how you're alive?" She asked through her sobs.

* * *

"I don't understand how you could have done this? Did you even stop to think how this would have affected us if you had… if something had happened to you?" I'd just finished telling Alice how Jacob, who was used to the harsh currents, had pulled me out just in time, when she began ranting about how irresponsible I was. I hadn't really been very focussed on her words, just her high, bell-like trill, which I had missed more than I'd realized.

But her words just then stuck me as to what had her really rattled. "Alice, I wasn't trying to kill myself," I broke in and her eyes narrowed. "I was just cliff-diving, I swear." Alice glared at me. "Then how do you explain the crazed smile on your face just before you jumped, Edward?" She asked, somewhat testily. I hesitated. There was no way I could tell her about my hallucinations. "Adrenaline rush?" I said, though it sounded more like a question. Alice shook her head. "Maybe, you weren't trying to commit suicide, Edward. But you sure didn't care if you lived or died. It wouldn't have mattered to you," she told me and to that, I had no answer.

For a while, neither of us spoke. But, I couldn't take the silence, so I begged her to tell me about what the rest of her family were doing. So, the evening passed with Alice telling me about Carlisle's part-time job teaching, Esme's restoration project, Emmett and Rosalie's honeymoon and Jasper's philosophy studies. Alice herself had been researching about her past life. The only one she didn't mention was the one I was most interested about, and for that I was grateful. "Does _she_ know you're here?" I asked quietly. Alice cringed. "God, no. She'd bite my head off, if she did. Just before she left, she made us promise not to interfere in your life or reach out to you. That's why I tried not to keep tabs on you. Still, I would get flashes sometimes."

We sat together in silence for some time. "Edward, why do you smell like a wet dog?" She suddenly questioned, her face scrunched up in disgust. I cringed, quickly deducing what she meant. I pursed my lips, wondering who my greater allegiance was to: Alice or Rebecca? But, Becca knew everything, so why not Alice too? With that, I told her everything that had transpired after she had left, glossing over the details of my depression. And then began another tirade, lecturing my stupidity and carelessness for hanging out with werewolves.

* * *

The bell rang twice and Alice's expression changed. "Edward, I can't see who's out there, so I guess that's Rebecca," she said sourly. We had figured out last night that for some reason, the wolves evaded her vision. Before I could protest, she quickly swooped in to kiss my cheeks, then flitted into Mom's bedroom and possibly out the back window.

Sighing, I went to open the door. Sure enough, there stood Rebecca, her face hard and bitter. Without a word to me, she stepped into the house. I could see the trembling of her long arms and deduced that the scent of Alice's presence had some effect on her. "Is it here?" She asked coldly. I bristled at her tone and her choice of words. " _She_ is not here, she stepped out for a minute." Rebecca nodded, her entire demeanour relaxing. "I need to ask you a few questions," she said, this time with some warmth. I nodded. "Shoot."

"How long is she here for?" She started. "As long as she wants to," I shrugged. "Will you tell her about the red-head?" "I already did," I assured her. "Are the rest of them coming back?" This time there was a note of apprehension in her words. I hesitated, then shook my head. "Not that I know of."

She nodded and for some time, we both stood that way silently. Then she slowly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me. I returned the gesture, but she pulled back slightly, almost immediately. "I'm sorry for my behaviour. I knew how much you cared for them, I shouldn't have reacted like that," she whispered and I gave her a small smile. Then, slowly her hand came up to weave itself in my hair. I fought not to flinch at the familiar movement, how much it reminded me of someone else. Hesitantly, Becca met my gaze. "Edward," she whispered. I swallowed. I wasn't ready to do this. I couldn't betray… who? Who was I betraying? Only myself, really. Keeping her eyes on mine, she leaned forward towards me. And I was still undecided.

The shrill ring of the landline made us jump. Becca shut her eyes in frustration, then went to pick up the phone, while I recovered from my shock. "Masen residence," Becca said. Whatever response she got, it made her stance change. She stiffened and her eyes grew hard again. "They're not home," she said stiffly, ignoring my outstretched hand. There was a short pause, then she said shortly, "They're at the funeral," and a second later she put down the phone.

"Rebecca Black," I was annoyed. "Who did you just hang up on, in my house and on my phone?" Becca opened her mouth to answer, when she gave a violent tremor. At the same instant, an angel's voice called out my name. "Edward," she said, her voice full of pain. I spun around to see Alice gripping the doorway, a look of utter horror on her face. "Alice?" I asked alarmed. I strode over to her and gripped her forearms. "Alice, what is it?" Her eyes focussed on me. "It's Bella," she said, horrified.

I released her and staggered back. Something in her voice gave me the sense that whatever she had to tell me wasn't good news. "She was the one who called just now," she continued. "Rebecca told her Lizzie and Phil are at the funeral. She believed her. She thinks you're dead," the last word came out in a terrified squeak and I started shaking my head. "Well, call her and tell her I'm fine, it's just a misunderstanding."

I couldn't even acknowledge the fact that Bella's voice had been barely a foot away from me. All I knew was that she was obviously in some kind of danger. Alice shook her head. "I tried," she replied miserably. "But, she's dumped her phone in some trash and gone. Edward, she's going to Italy."

Suddenly, the implication of her words hit me. Italy, where the three vampire rulers lived, who you never angered unless you had a death wish. A weak memory, in sharp contrast to my crystal-clear hallucinations, echoed in my head. _'Because, I can't live in a world where you don't exist.'_ Bella was going to kill herself.

"The only way to save her is if she knows you're alive," Alice continued. "You're the only one who can get close to her. If she hears my thoughts, she'll think I'm there to stop her and hurry up whatever plan she has." I nodded and Alice smiled tightly. "Go get ready, I'll wait here." I dashed up to grab my passport and a small bag to carry the few things we would need.

When I came down, Alice was outside, waiting in the car and Becca was at the foot of the stairs. "Don't do this," she begged. "Please, you don't have to risk anything for them. Stay here, please, for Elizabeth and Phil, for me." I bent down to kiss the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Becca, I'll be back. Take care of Mom, and Phil." And I ran out the door, not glancing back once, knowing what I'd see if I did.

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 **We're getting close to the end, ladies and gentlemen. Read and Review, please.**


	19. Volterra

**Right, I'm back. Exams went very well, in case you were wondering. If you were, thank you for your concern, if you weren't, that's okay too. So, moving on.**

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Ch. 19- Volterra- BPOV

Aro's eyes were boring into mine intently, wondering what I was doing there. It was rare that someone asked for an audience with the Volturi brothers. Caius and the guards in the room were under the same confusion. Marcus was the only one who remained impassive. His mind was different from that of the others. It was full of a dull pain, a pain that, curiously enough, seemed similar to mine. I knew the story, of course, based on what Carlisle had told me. Marcus' mate had been Aro's sister, Didyme, and the two had planned to run away together. But Aro found Marcus' gift of seeing relationships too important, so in order to keep him there, he had Didyme killed. Chelsea was one of his guards who had the gift of manipulating bonds. On Aro's orders, she kept Marcus loyal to Aro.

Aro finally asked me to speak. "My name is Isabella Cullen," I said quietly. Immediately, Aro's red eyes lightened up with recognition. "You're Carlisle's creation," he guessed. "So, what do you want?" "I think it will be easier to show you," I suggested, extending an arm. Aro walked down to me, grabbing my hand between both of his. Immediately, his mind was bombarded with images of my own memory: blurred images of my human father, memories of a past life, the change, Esme's arrival, Emmet's arrival, then Rosalie's. I felt his interest in Alice's powers. Then, he came to my meeting with Edward, the chase with James, the blissful summer we spent together, the paper cut, the last few months and finally my decision to end my life.

Trying to ignore the pain, I looked Aro in the eye. "You can read minds without contact," he mused and I nodded, a sinking feeling in my stomach. "Your mate was a human," he said, as if he was repeating the facts to get ready for a test. I nodded again and a murmur of shock passed through the crowd. "He was your singer. Your _cantante_ ," he pointed out and I nodded a third time. This time the mental uproar in the room was deafening. "He has died and now you wish to die yourself, so as to join him," he finished. This time, I glared hard into his eyes and said, "Yes, that is true."

Aro licked his lips, his crimson eyes glittering. His thoughts were getting increasingly disturbing. _'Such potential… No touch… And his coven member… Alice… powerful… clairvoyance…'_ His gaze suddenly sharpened. "I have a proposition for you, my dear Isabella," he said, his Italian accent sharp and musical, drawing out the sound of my name. "You see, your gift is extremely interesting. I would like to offer you a place in my…" "No!" I broke in sharply. A sinister silence settled in the large room. "No?" Aro questioned, his soft voice puzzled. "No," I repeated, not bothering to hide my anger and disgust. "I have no wish to follow you, Aro. I have much better things to do with my time. So either you kill me or…Ahhh!" I broke off, with a gasp of pain.

Fire licked every inch of my skin, hot needles driving into me. I writhed on the ground, screaming, begging for the pain to stop. It did. I staggered to my feet and my eyes landed on Jane and Alec, the witch twins as they were widely famous. They were the most dangerous of Aro's guards, one with the power to make you feel unbearable pain, the other to take away all your senses and leave you numb. It was Jane who had just punished me. Her red eyes glared at me. _'How dare she insult Master like that? That stuck-up little weakling!'_ A chuckle filled the room. "Now, now, Jane dear. Control yourself," Aro admonished softly. "Isabella, please re-think your decision," he beseeched. I glared at him, knowing he had already seen my back-up plan. Without a word, I spun on my heel and left the room. Once outside, I flitted from shadow to shadow, all too aware of Felix and Dimitri, two of the soldiers, following me with orders to tear me apart and burn me, should I do something stupid.

Today was St. Marcus Day; the day the people of Volterra celebrated in the honour of St. Marcus, who had supposedly driven all the vampires away. The people had no idea that Marcus himself was a vampire. In fact, many of the popular vampire myths; sunlight, garlic, turning into a bat and whatnot, were spread by the Volturi, so as to avoid anyone ever recognising a real vampire. The Volturi brothers were very protective of their city: it was forbidden to hunt within the city wall. The only sure-fire way to anger them so much that they would kill me would be to reveal myself to the humans.

So, I stopped under the archway of the clock-tower, in the exact middle of the city, where there were the most people, preparing for their celebrations. I sat down, resting my back against the cool stone walls, and waited for noon.

* * *

It was time. Shrugging off my jacket, I went to stand at the very edge and waited for the twelve tolls of the bell. Out of my pocket, I pulled out a crumpled photo of me and Edward, the one Alice had taken at the party. I looked at my own face, shining with laughter, and Edward, looking down at me with utter love and happiness.

How could I have been so wrong? I should have known that Edward's love wasn't nearly as shallow as all humans' were. I should have known he would never have gotten over me. I sighed. Had he died thinking, knowing really, that I didn't love him? Had he ever even suspected that my last words to him had been a lie? I would never get to know. Even if I died now, there was no way I would end up in heaven and that was where Edward would be.

I placed the picture back in my pocket and took a deep breath. The bell started to toll. _One._ I was wearing a thin tank top with shorts, the same clothes I had worn the day I first took Edward to the meadow. They would be the best way to expose my skin to the sunlight. _Four._ There was a cold breeze and with it came the unmistakeable aroma of honey, lilacs and sunshine. I inhaled the scent deeply. It was a sign; a sign that maybe, maybe Edward would be waiting for me. Perhaps, heaven did exist for my kind. _Seven._ Was that a voice calling my name? **_"Bella! Bella, no! Stop! Stop, look at me. I'm right here. Bella!"_** I had to hold back a chuckle. Even in my last moments, Edward would try to save me. He always did think I was too good to be true. He never realized that he was so much better than me. _Ten._ On the last toll of the bell, I would reveal myself. I could just hear Felix and Dimitri waiting eagerly for the sun to hit me.

 _'_ _I'm coming, Edward. I'm coming, my love,'_ I thought. _Twelve._ My foot lifted to step into the sun, when something tall and warm knocked into me, covering me, protecting me. I inhaled the familiar scent, relished in the homely feel of the person clutching me. They sure had been quick about executing me. I was grateful for that.

I buried my nose in his chest and took a second to listen to the sprinting heart beating furiously against my skin. There was no doubt about it. This was heaven.

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 **I'm planning to take a break from this particular series, after I finish this story. I'm going to concentrate on some other stories instead. I'll start writing Eclipse afterwards. I'm really sorry if this disappoints some of my readers, but I honestly need a break from Twilight. Anyway, Read and review, please.**


	20. The Three Brothers

**Here you go, guys. We're almost at the end.**

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Ch. 20- The Three Brothers- EPOV

"Sheesh, Alice. Could you have picked a more conspicuous car to steal?" I complained sarcastically, as the bright yellow Porsche weaved through the thick traffic. "The important question is whether I could have stolen a faster car," Alice corrected. "The answer is no, so I'd say we got lucky."

It took us nearly an hour to get to the city. Alice suddenly gasped and slammed on the brakes. "What is it?" I asked, panic overtaking me again. "They'll refuse her," she breathed out, starting up the car again. "So, now what?" She gazed off into the distance for a brief second. "Aro's going to offend her by offering her a place in the guard," she murmured. "That'll compel her to give into her theatrical tendencies." I weighed the sentence for a minute. Alice had said that Bella had begun hunting humans during her exile. I'd been shocked by the decision and she wouldn't even tell me the reason behind it. But, she had also told me that Bella had gone back to the vegetarian lifestyle after a few months with barely any problem. So, I knew she wouldn't hunt humans in the city walls; she wouldn't want to disappoint Carlisle at the end.

"So, what is she going to do?" I finally gave up. "She's going to just walk out in the sun in the middle of the city, right at noon, on the last toll of the bell." I glanced at my watch: we had barely fifteen minutes. Alice stopped the car, unable to take it any further in the crowd. "You have to go on foot from here," she informed in a harried voice. "If I get any closer, she'll hear my thoughts and think I'm here to stop her. Then, she won't wait till noon." I nodded quickly to show I understood. "Head for the clock tower," she pointed it out to me with a gloved hand. "I'll scout around and look for some wall I can climb over to get to you. Bella will be under the clock tower, to the north of the square. There's a narrow alleyway on the right, and she'll be in the shadow there. You have to get her attention before she can move into the sun."

The second she finished speaking I bolted out of the car, not bothering to even close the door. I ran faster than I ever had before, my legs pumping rhythmically, as I navigated between the crowds. The clock tower was high, so I had no problem keeping my bearings. I burst into the city square, nearly running into a fountain. The clock had started tolling _._ I wasn't going to make it; time flew too fast. The Volturi would be sure to kill me along with Bella; after all, I was a human who had seen too much. I only hoped Alice could make it out _._

And, then I saw her, right where Alice had said she would be. I started running faster. It was really her, not a hallucination. And, as I kept my eyes on her, I realized that my _'perfect'_ delusions had been more flawed than I'd thought; they'd never done her justice.

Bella stood motionless just a few feet from the mouth of the alley. Her eyes were closed, the rings underneath them deep purple, her arms relaxed at her sides, her palms turned forward. Her expression was very peaceful, like she was dreaming pleasant things, but eager. The marble skin of her limbs was bare. With her seraphic features, relaxed arms and toned legs, she could have been a Greek statue; maybe Aphrodite or Helen of Troy.

"Bella! Bella, no! Stop! Stop, look at me. I'm right here. Bella!" I started screaming, ignoring the strange looks the pedestrians gave me. But, Bella didn't give any sign she heard me, except a small smile spreading across her lips. She raised a foot to take the step that would put her directly into the sun and, just in time, I slammed into her, immediately covering her petite figure with my arms, so not an inch of her skin would be in the sun. At the same time, Bella's arms came up to hold me, her hands resting on my back. Her face was buried in my chest and I could feel her breathing deeply. "This _is_ heaven," I heard her mumble. I stepped back only slightly, not wanting to let her go, but needing to see her face. "What did you say?" I questioned. "Did I say that aloud?" She asked, a childish giggle escaping her. I relished the sound, marvelling at how I felt whole again. The hole in my chest wasn't healed, it was like it had never been there in the first place. The last seven months might never have happened. And it no longer mattered that I would never see Bella again after this, that she still wouldn't want me. None of it mattered if she was here, right now, in my arms, where I knew she was safe and alive. But, first I needed to get something straight.

"Bella, we're not dead," I told her slowly. She blinked in confusion. Then, her eyes grew wide, filling with horror. "Felix and Dimitri," she gasped. She grabbed my arm and yanked me back into the shadows, pushing my back against the wall, then assumed a stance in front of me, her arms extending slightly. Two figures came to a stop in front of us. "Greetings, _mia signorina_ ," a smooth voice came out of the darkness. "Greetings, gentlemen," Bella replied, her voice calm and pleasant, her twentieth-century perfect enunciation standing out in her nervousness, though I knew it wasn't visible to anyone else. "Aro would like to speak with you once more," a second voice said, harsher than the first. "Of course," Bella acquiesced. "But, the human goes free." There was a chuckle. "I'm afraid not. Aro wants to see him too."

"I don't think so," Bella dropped the civility, her tone flat and icy. Her weight shifted ever so slightly and I realized she was preparing for a fight. Then, her head whipped around, in sync with Felix and Dimitri. I followed their movements, to see Alice skip lightly to Bella's side, her arms swinging at her side like a child. "Now, now," she chided. "Let's behave ourselves, shall we? We're just three teenagers, after all."

"Please, Isabella," Dimitri beseeched. "Let's be reasonable." "Let's," Bella agreed. "And, we will leave quietly now, with none the wiser." "Enough," a high reedy voice called out. The newcomer was as tiny as Alice, with lank, pale brown hair trimmed short. The body under the cloak, which was darker than the other two, almost black, was slim and androgynous. Bella dropped her stance and straightened, but I could see the defeat in the gesture. "Jane," she sighed, in recognition and resignation. And maybe, a hint of fear? I wondered if they had fought. Had Jane hurt Bella somehow? But, she was so small. But, I knew, that her size barely mattered if she had a powerful gift.

Alice folded her arms across her chest. "Follow me," Jane ordered, her voice monotonous. As we did as she asked, I couldn't stop myself from wrapping an arm around Bella and pulling her along with me. I resisted the urge to do anything more, because I knew, that this was the only reunion I would get. That the only reason we were here together right now was because, she had felt guilty for my supposed death.

"I don't suppose I should be surprised to see you here, Alice," Bella wondered conversationally. Alice shrugged. "You're my sister. It's my job to keep you in line," she replied in the same tone, a hint of teasing apology in her voice. "What happened?" Bella's words were only politely curious, thanks to the listening ears around us. "It's a long story," Alice waved it off, her eyes flickering towards me, then away. "Basically, I saw him jump off a cliff, but he didn't do it to kill himself. Edward, apparently, is all about the extreme sports these days." "I see," was all Bella said, but the casual tone of her voice was gone. I flinched. I could only imagine what she was hearing in Alice's thoughts right now: motorcycles, cliff-diving, vampire stalkers, werewolf best friend.

* * *

"Aro can see every single thought you've ever had in your whole life," Bella was explaining, as we stood in the large, circular room, the immortals surrounding us loosely. "But, he needs to touch you to do it." Alice raised a perfect eyebrow and Bella inclined her head slightly in response. Aro noticed the exchange as well. "But to see without touch," Aro sighed in longing, looking between Bella and Alice. Then he turned to me.

"I'm curious about _la tua cantante_ ," he wondered aloud and tilted his head to the side. "May I?" He asked eagerly, lifting one hand. "Ask him," Bella suggested in a cool voice. "Of course, how rude of me," Aro cried and came to stand in front of me. "Edward, I have found that you are the one exception to Isabella's gift. And since, mine is so similar to her's, I was wondering if you would allow me to test it." After only a split second hesitation, I lifted my hand, ignoring the way Bella tensed minutely by my side. Aro grabbed my hand eagerly. A second passed, two, then three.  
Aro's expression became first doubt, then incredulity. He released my hand with an astonished intake of breath. "Fascinating," he mumbled. I risked a glance at Bella and was surprised to see her look just the tiniest bit smug. "Jane?" He suddenly called out and the little girl stepped forward. "No," Bella snarled, a low growl escaping her. "I was wondering if Edward is immune to your powers, dear," Aro continued, ignoring the ferocious snarls ripping from Bella's throat. The girl turned to face me, a sadistic smile on her perfect lips. "Don't," Alice screamed, but it was too late. Bella pounced at the girl and before anyone could react, she was on the ground. No one had touched her, but she was writhing in absolute agony. Jane didn't let up on her gift, as she continued to smile at her pained figure. "Stop it!" I yelled and stepped forward, but Alice grabbed me around the middle, her vice-like grip unbreakable.

Bella's lips were clamped shut and no sound escaped her, as she cringed against the stones. But, all through it, her dark eyes, black as ebony, never left mine. "Jane," Aro admonished quietly and Jane looked away, her eyes bright. Instantly, Bella stilled. For a second or so, she didn't move, then she sprang to her feet and gazed at me in horror. She spun on her heel to face Jane and her face morphed into plain relief. I looked at Jane too, and saw that she was now scowling at me, her eyes glaring. Bella appeared at my side and Alice released me, just as Aro laughed and whispered something in Jane's ear.

Finally he turned to us. "I know you won't agree to join us now," he lectured. "So, you may go. However," he turned his gaze on me. "The human knows too much." I blanched and Bella's eyes narrowed. Aro raised a hand in a signal for patience. "But, I'm prepared to let him go as well, if," he paused. "If you promise to change him at some point. But, you have to mean it," he added, waving his hand at us. My jaw dropped. Was he serious? Would Bella agree? A thousand questions raced through my mind, but when I looked down at her, all those questions fell away. Her face was tight, her jaw clenched, her lips in a fierce line. She looked up at my eyes, and I saw the conflicting emotions there.

"Mean it," I whispered. "Please." She stared up at me with a tortured expression. And then Alice stepped away from us, taking Aro's outstretched hand. After five agonisingly long seconds, Aro released her, his eyes bright with a childish pleasure.

"Very well," he said, licking his lips. "It's determined, there's no doubt." He looked at Bella and me longingly, before sighing. "You are free to go. And, Isabella," he beckoned to Felix and took off his cloak, tossing it to Bella. "Take this. You're a little inconspicuous." He watched as she put it on, leaving the hood down. "It suits you," he sighed again.

Bella smiled tightly. "Thank you, Aro. We'll wait below," she said and dragged me away from the room, with Alice in tow.

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 **As usual, Read and Review, please.**


	21. Time

**Second-last chapter, guys. After this, I'm starting a new story called 'Enigma' for Wanted, in the Movies section Please, check that out as well. So, onwards.**

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Ch. 21- Time- BPOV

"Does she know what's going on here?" Edward asked in a whisper, gesturing to the pretty, red-head human at the desk in the lobby of the castle. It was the first time he had spoken directly to me after we left the circular room, though he refused to unwind his arms from my waist, but he still wouldn't look me in the eye. I wondered if, in my absence, he had gotten unused to the idea of vampires. Or maybe the experience with Laurent, Victoria and all the vampires we had seen just now, had finally knocked some sense into him: that we were dangerous to be around. "She knows everything," I answered just as quietly and wondered when it would be the right time to talk to him about the elephant in the room. "Isn't she afraid that they'll kill her someday?" He asked, leaning down. His sweet breath swirled around me, keeping me at peace. "She knows it's a possibility," I whispered into his ear. "But, she's hoping they'll change her instead." At my answer, all the blood drained from Edward's face. "She wants to be one of them?" His voice was filled with disgust.

I didn't answer, just looked at him silently. _'Seven months ago, you wanted the same thing,'_ I wanted to remind him. But, I kept quiet. Instead, unable to resist myself, I leaned up and brushed my glass lips against his cheeks. "You look tired," I breathed out. Edward's reaction was pleasing; though it made me feel guiltier than ever about leaving him in the first place. He closed his eyes and tried unsuccessfully to suppress a shiver, swallowing loudly. "And, you look thirsty," he countered, tracing the purple bruises under my eyes. I smiled ruefully. "It's nothing," I told him. "I've never been in better control of that side of my nature than now."

He finally looked at me properly and I fought the urge to cringe as I took in his face, drinking in the sight greedily. His face was leaner than it used to be, like he hadn't been eating. There were dark circles under his eyes that rivalled my own, indicating many sleepless nights. His eyes were the worst; they were no longer bright green, but dark and weary. What had I done to him?

"Alice has gone to steal a car, hasn't she?" He guessed and I forced a smile. "Not here," I warned with a wink. Right on cue, I heard Alice's loud thoughts. _'I'm outside, Bella. Get Edward over here, already, come on. I want to see Jaz.'_ Lucky Alice. She could trust her future. I stood up, causing Edward to look up at me with a panic-stricken expression. "Alice has the car," I quickly told him, offering my hand. With a short hesitation, he took it and followed me out to a dark car, standing silently in the shadows. "There wasn't much choice," Alice said apologetically, gesturing to the dashboard. "It's alright, Alice," I smiled, as Edward and I got into the backseat. "They can't all be 911 Turbos." Alice smiled too. "It was fabulous," she mumbled. "I might have to acquire one legally someday." "I'll get you one for Christmas," I promised. She turned to grin at me. "Yellow," she reminded me.

I turned to Edward. "You should get some sleep," I told him softly. He shook his head in refusal. "If I sleep now, I'll have nightmares." And I felt a pang of guilt as I realized that, like everything else, his nightmares, too, were my fault.

* * *

I watched with a nervous smile as Jaz, after greeting Alice with a silent hug, turned to me. "Isabella," he greeted in a cold voice. I gulped. "I'm sorry, Jaz," I cried in a whisper. Abruptly, his façade melted away and he wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up slightly, a relieved smile breaking out on his face. "Isa, don't you ever do that again, you get me?" He ordered. I choked out a laugh and nodded. "I'm sorry, Major," I repeated, trying to joke through my tears. Over his shoulder, I watched as Esme and Carlisle thanked Edward profusely for risking his own life to save mine, before coming over to envelop me in their embrace. "Rosalie and Emmett have got the cars waiting outside," Carlisle told me, still holding me tight. "I think we need to give an explanation to Edward's mother and uncle."

* * *

When we reached Edward's house, Edward went upstairs silently, not offering any explanation to Elizabeth and brushing off her hug. When he had disappeared with an "I'm going to bed," over his shoulder, Lizzie- no, Elizabeth- turned to me with a frantic look. "Bella, are you okay?" She asked. "Jasper told me you had tried to… to… to jump off a building," she whispered the last part. I knew the cover story my family had cooked up to explain Edward's three-day disappearance and nodded hesitantly. Immediately, Elizabeth burst into tears and hugged me. "Why did you leave, Bella?" She asked, crying profusely. "Didn't you guess that you wouldn't be hurting only Edward, but also yourself?" I hugged her back, shocked. She was worried about me? Even after I had put her son into a clinical depression?

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth," I sobbed out, as Phil patted my back consolingly. Elizabeth drew back and glared at me through her red eyes. "It's Lizzie," she scolded me and I laughed inspite of myself. "Now, go up to Edward. Go," she urged me and with a reassuring glance from my family, I went in the direction of my sanctuary: Edward's bedroom.

Hesitantly, I knocked on the door. "Come in," was the answer in a a barely audible voice, even to a vampire. I pushed the door open slowly. Edward was sitting on his bed, his back resting against the headboard, his arms crossed and his eyes looking straight ahead. Without saying a word, I sat across from him, drawing my knees up to my chest. "I'm sorry," I finally whispered. Edward turned his head slightly to look at me. "So it was true?" He asked in a hard voice, making me flinch. He had sat with Alice on the plane, who had, without my consent, told Edward everything; starting with why I had ignored him those few days after the birthday. "It was the only way to keep you safe," I said brokenly.

"No, it wasn't," he exclaimed, making me jump. His green eyes were dark and stormy with anger. Anger and sadness. "I wasn't safe all these months, Bella. I was half-dead all the time and came pretty close to going all the way a couple times." I winced horribly at his words, knowing they were true. Alice had told me in her head about Victoria, Laurent and the werewolves. Specifically, Rebecca Black. How could I have been so stupid?

A strangled sob escaped me and I quickly clamped my lips shut. Too late. Edward caught it. His shoulders slumped and all the anger left his body. "You know what hurt the most?" He asked in a hushed tone. "Not that you left me, or took the photos and the CD, or that you expected me to forget about you and move on. It was that you told me you didn't love me; that I didn't mean anything to you." We stayed quiet again. But I couldn't forget the questions I had.

"How could you believe me so easily?" I questioned. "After all the times I told you how much I loved you, how could you let one word break your faith in me?" A bitter, twisted smile made its way onto Edward's lips. "You're not the centre of the universe, Bella," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "But, _my_ universe is a completely different matter. That's why I believed you." He paused. "But maybe, a part of me always knew that you had lied, that you still loved me," he mused. "Maybe that's why I had all those hallucinations." To that, I had no answer.

For a long while, we sat in silence. "Edward," I finally started in a quiet voice. He looked up at me, meeting my eyes. "What do we do now?" I asked. He lowered his eyes again. "I don't know, Bella. I need time." I felt my breath escape me in a gust and began shaking. "What do you mean?" I tried to ask, but it came out as a squeak. He shook his head in deep thought and eyed me carefully. "I need time, Bella," he repeated. I fought the urge to scream. "Time away from me, or time with me?" I choked out. He shut his eyes again. "Away from you," he whispered and I froze. "No, no Edward. Please don't," I begged weakly. "Please. I love you," I said, desperation evident in my voice. He re-opened his eyes. "I forgive you, Bella," he said, almost forcefully, leaning forward on his knees to grab my upper arms. "And I love you, too. I never stopped. But, I need some time to figure out if I can let you back into my life."

A heaving sob wracked my body and I gulped. "Don't take too long," I whispered and, clambering off the bed, left the room, running down the stairs and out the front door, ignoring Lizzie and Phil's questions. I knew Alice would come up with something to explain. All I knew at the moment was that I had to escape. Escape the house. My family's concern. Elizabeth's loving gestures. And, Edward's tortured face.

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 **Different from canon? Yes. I was beyond furious when Bella forgave Edward so damn easily in New Moon. So, my story's realistic.**


	22. Forgiveness

**Sorry, I've been MIA for so long now. I had another set of exams so I couldn't type. But, I'm back now, so here's the last chapter.**

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Ch. 22- Forgiveness- EPOV

"Time away from me, or time with me?" Bella asked in a strangled whisper. I shut my eyes, knowing my answer would hurt her. "Away from you." "No, no Edward. Please don't." The desperation in her voice made me look at her again and I saw that she was trembling. "Please. I love you." Unable to bear her pain, I reached towards her and gripped her arms tightly. "I forgive you, Bella," I told her in a hard voice. She had my meaning wrong. I needed to correct her, reassure her. "And I love you, too. I never stopped." That was the truest thing I could ever tell her. "But, I need some time to figure out if I can let you back into my life again." The bright gold of her eyes, which I had missed so much, burned bright, but her trembling never stopped. She swallowed with difficulty, then said, "Don't take too long," and before I could stop her, she escaped my grip and fled the room.

Was it my imagination? Or did I really hear a shrill shriek of pain, faint to my ears, echo from the forest, just a minute later? I resumed my original position on the bed. It felt weird to be whole again, to not feel the gaping chasm in my chest. I remembered thinking how Rebecca made me whole. What a joke.

I didn't know how long I sat there for, but eventually, Mom came up to see me, with Phil right on her heels. "Honey, are you alright?" She asked gently, sitting beside me to caress my face. I met her dark green eyes, filled with concern. "I'm sorry I ran without telling you," I muttered. "I know it was stupid, but I was just…" I trailed off, gesturing vaguely with my hands. "Still in love," Mom finished. "I know." I didn't have an answer for her. "She made a mistake, Edward," Phil spoke up, just as quiet. "But, everyone does. It's your job to forgive her, because you'll regret it if you don't." I nodded. "I know. I know."

* * *

Nearly a week had gone past, but I still hadn't talked to Bella, except making polite conversation during Biology. The excitement over the Cullens' return hadn't completely died down yet. Neither had the rumours surrounding Bella and me. More than once I had caught several boys placing bets on whether we would get together again and how long it would take us to do so.

But, some things hadn't changed. I still couldn't help but glance over at their table during lunch and my eyes seemed to be drawn towards Bella like a magnet. I looked over in their direction now, only to find it empty. Of course; it was oddly sunny today. They were home. "Hey, Edward," a nasally voice called out to me. I looked around in its direction, taking a second to match it to a face and name. Tyler's bleached blond hair came to mind, and there he was, a sneer on his face.

"I don't know what your plans are with Isabella Hale this time around, but now that she's back, she's gonna be mine." I pondered the name in my head. _Isabella Hale._ I was so used to knowing her as a Cullen, _'mind, body and heart'_ like she'd said, that I'd almost forgotten their cover story labelled her as Hale. Then Tyler's words started pounding in my head. "Oh, you think?" I asked hotly, seething that he would even consider the idea of Bella _belonging_ to him. "Well, just so you know what my plans are, I am never letting her go. Not now, not ever. So, you can forget about having even the ghost of a chance with her." With that, I got up to dump my tray and left the cafeteria.

Not wanting to enter the classroom just yet, knowing they'd be talking about what happened just now, I went to stand near the front gates, breathing deeply. "Edward," a high-pitched voice called my name this time. I turned to see Jessica behind me, her brown eyes open and friendly. She came to stand beside me. "Why haven't you talked to Bella yet?" She asked outright and I fought back a small grin. Her openness was so different from Angela's shy, tactful demeanour. "Just need some time," I answered honestly. She frowned. "I think seven months is long enough," she mused. She eyed me carefully. "You look good, Edward," she said suddenly.

I tilted my head to the side, confused at her sudden turn-about. "I mean, you look healthy," she explained. "You look way better than you did just a week ago. And, you know, it won't really take much to look as good as you used to before… before they left." With that, she left, leaving me to wonder when Jessica Stanley, of all people, had become so wise.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, I dialled Bella's number, and waited eagerly to hear her voice, ecstatic as I knew it would be. "Edward," I heard someone call behind me and turned sharply to see Alice perched gracefully on my windowsill, a small grin on her lips. "Bella's left her phone home," she informed me. "She's at her meadow." I hesitated and she rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'll take you there. I've had enough of her moping around the house."

She leapt to stand in front of me. "Hop on," she said cheerfully and, holding back a sigh of nostalgia, I wrapped my arms and legs around her dainty figure.

* * *

"You'll have to walk from here," Alice whispered. "If I go any further, she'll hear my thoughts. You're downwind, so she won't be able to smell or hear you coming until you're almost there." With that, she flitted back in the direction we came, leaving me to trek the last few miles. It didn't take long. In ten minutes, I was standing at the edge of the meadow. I could just make out Bella's figure lying down amongst the tall grass. Walking over to her, I sat down and watched her. A minute hadn't passed by when she whispered, "Are you leaving me?"

The sheer pain in her words astounded me and I didn't really understand her words until a few seconds later. She thought I was there to end things. So, instead of saying anything, I simply bent over to press my lips to her. To say she was surprised would be an understatement. But, her vampire reflexes allowed her to understand faster than a human, and her hand came up to stroke the back of my neck, while the fingers of her other hand entangled themselves in my hair. Our lips moved together in a perfect tandem and it felt like the last seven months had never happened. The kiss was almost the same as I recalled. Was it my imagination, or did her lips feel smoother, her breath sweeter, her scent more intoxicating?

When we broke apart, my head spun, but I knew my eyes were brighter than they had been. "I'll change you," Bella suddenly said. "I can't live without you and I don't even want to try. I'll change as soon as you want me to. If.. if you still want me to?" She added on, a little uncertain. I gaped at her for a few seconds before swallowing hard. "Yes, please. I still want it, More than anything." Her answering smile was brilliant and, silently, she placed a hand on my chest and pushed me gently back, sitting up as well. Leaning forward, she touched her forehead to mine. "I love you, Bella," I whispered. "I love you," she replied and I smiled contentedly. "I know." And I did.

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 **The End.**

 **Thanks to all those who stuck with the story and reviewed. You guys made it worth sticking with this.**


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